Return of Superboy Prime
by John Riehle
Summary: He's back! And he's taking back the life that was stolen from him... no matter what the cost.
1. Escape

_The knock on the front door brought Jerome Norton Kent's face up from his computer. Looking up long enough to determine that he had just enough time left to type in a few more choice buttons on his keyboard, he took the opportunity to do so, even as his wife walked past him into the front room, and straight for the door. _

_"Honestly Jerry. I was just putting Clark down for bed. You couldn't even get up to answer the door? It's your own brother after all." _

_"Exactly." Jerry rose an eyebrow smiling as he quickly set his computer to stand by mode and hurried out of his seat after his wife as she opened the door. _

_"Francis, Sarah!" Naomi Clarke Kent greeted her brother and sister-in-law waiting at the front door, a plastic wrapped bowl no doubt containing Sarah's infamous tuna salad, in hand. _

_"Ah, Naomi. How are you?" Frank Kent took his sister-in-law's hand, reaching past his wife. _

_"Hello Francis." Jerry Kent teased his younger brother with his true name as he shook his hand. _

_"Jerome." Frank tried to hide his mild annoyance behind a rough, gruff exterior. "Naomi, I see you're still stuck with this poor fool." _

_"Now boys." Sarah dismissed their old childish humor as she walked past the Kent men. "We didn't drive all this way just so the two of you could go at it like you always do." _

_"That's right." A small light lit in Frank's eyes as he turned to his brother and sister in law. "Where's my nephew?" _

_"Sleeping." Jerry relayed regretfully. "Naomi just put him down." _

_"Well wake him up." _

_"Frank!" His wife slapped ineffectually at the side of his arm. _

_"What?" He looked plainly at his family before indicating to his brother. "You don't think I drove all this way to stare at this ugly mug for a few hours. I want to see my nephew." _

_"Well, you can relax." Jerry assured. "He doesn't look a thing like you, which means he's bound to be a devil with the ladies." _

_"Jerry." It was Naomi Kent's turn to give her husband a good slap to the side this time. _

_"Well, then let's see the little fella already." _

_"No." Though it went against everything her mother had ever taught her about good manners to refuse a guest, Naomi Kent put her foot down. "Not a chance. I had the hardest time putting him to sleep, and I'm not going to risk you getting him all riled up." _

_"Ah, come on Naomi." Jerry pleaded with his wife. "You know how Clark is. Once he's asleep, he wouldn't wake up if a war was going on outside." _

_"Please Nae." Frank pleaded, his worst sincere look decorating his face. "I just want to meet the little guy. Warn him about his dad before it's too late." _

_"It, uh… it would be nice." Sarah had to agree. As much as she didn't like the idea of ganging up on her sister-in-law, and a new mother to boot, she too was aching to meet the newest addition to the family. _

_"Fine." Naomi finally relented. "But if he wakes up, I'm not the one putting him back to sleep." _

_"Deal." Both Kent men exclaimed at once before making their way up the stairs to the room at the far end of the landing. Jerry Kent carefully worked the knob on the door, gently forcing it open and into the make shift nursery. _

_The walls had just been painted blue with a teddy bear theme running along the sides. Fresh white carpet could be seen in the dim room as the adults all tip toed their way across the floor to the crib in the center of the room. _

_Resting as peacefully as could be, a tiny baby dressed in Superman pajama's breathed deeply and peacefully at a steady pace as he slumbered away. _

_"Oh my goodness." Sarah cooed softly at the sight. "He is just perfect." _

_"I know." Naomi could not help but let out a contended sigh as she watched her son sleeping peacefully. _

_"Wow." Frank had to agree. The kid was perfect. "Still can't believe the name you picked for him. I mean, I know the Kent curse with names and all, but you had to go and call him Clark." _

_"Now Francis," Sarah chided " Clark is a perfectly fine name." _

_"Not when your last name is Kent." Frank retorted in a whisper. _

_"It was Naomi's idea." Jerry just nodded at the memory. "She insisted." _

_"That's right I did." The maternal Mrs. Kent declared finally. "Now let's leave him alone to sleep." _

_One by one, the adults were issued out of the room. Still, Francis Kent couldn't help but to lean over the crib of his baby nephew and whisper "you may have got a raw name kid, but you got two of the best parents in the world. And frankly, it don't matter what they call you, we all know you're going to do great things with your life, Clark Kent." _

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Guy Gardner let out a resigned sigh as his power ring affirmed to him that he was nearing his destination.

Oa. The center of the universe and home to the Guardians and their servants, the Green Lantern Corps.

Any other time, and it filled the Green Lantern with pride to see it still standing. Not so long ago the planet, and the entire Corps for that matter, had been destroyed. Somehow, seeing Oa each time since then filled him with pride. It always helped to know that there was no real way to destroy hope after all.

However, today, the sight of the green sphere floating in the universe filled him with a feeling of dread. It was only a matter of seconds before his ring took him through the atmosphere and directed him along the southern continent of the planet towards the specially designed containment facility.

Towards _him._

The thought of that maniac made Guy want to wretch as he spotted the bright red glow of the junior sun eater off in the distance. The emerald glow of his fellow lanterns shining through its burning gases comforted him slightly, but only slightly.

"Welcome Guy Gardner, Green Lantern of Sec…" Guy recognized the squid like, multi-tentacle Lantern that flew up to meet him, though for some reason, he couldn't place a name with the face. It was obvious from his tone and mannerisms that he was one of the many rookies drafted into the Corps. There were a lot of them these days. Bright, young, fresh recruits, each of them so wide eyed and overwhelmed, and every one of them had been handed the most powerful weapon in the universe to wield to protect justice across an entire sector of space. He was nothing short of exceptionally proud of the way that they had each responded and reacted to this overwhelming responsibility with nothing but courage and dedication.

"Yeah, yeah. Hey to you too. So what's the problem?" Guy normally wasn't one to be overly dismissive of another Green Lantern. Sure, he was famous for his problems with authority, but especially of late, Guy knew the importance of creating a sense of camaraderie among his fellow Lanterns. And besides the fact, he had nothing but respect and pity for anyone picked out to watch over the prisoner. However, the nature of the message he had received summoning him back to Oa had made him anxious.

"Well, besides the usual…" The squid like Lantern left his sentence to hang for effect.

"He still trying to jump you guys every time you feed him?" Guy asked.

"No, he's pretty much given up on that, which is actually part of the problem. He won't eat. At all." The fellow lantern explained somewhat desperately.

"So chain him to the wall, force his mouth open, and feed him through a tube. What's the problem?" Guy still wasn't sure why he had flown half way across the universe and on game day no less, for this. Sure, this prisoner was worth any and all precautions, but for such a minor disturbance, he was finding himself slightly irked to have made a trip of several hundred million light years.

"Well, we would have, but he insisted on speaking to you first."

"What?" Guy turned incredulously towards his fellow Lantern. Asa! That was his name. Asa De Templare.

"He said he would just regurgitate anything we fed him unless he spoke with you. He was most insistent."

Guy could see the awkwardness in Asa's face as he turned towards the brightly glowing junior sun eater. He knew he couldn't see it with the naked eye, but he imagined that if he could squint just hard enough, he could make out the figure standing within the Quantum Containment Cell.

"What did the Guardians have to say about this? Wait, don't tell me." Guy managed to cut off Asa before he could begin again. "Something about preserving the last survivor of the multiverse, the need for questioning him, blah blah blah." Guy's reservations about the Guardian's attitude towards the prisoner were well known. As far as Guy was concerned, they would do the universe a favor by dropping the quantum containment cell and letting the searing gases of the red sun eater incinerate him.

"Something like that, yes." Asa admitted with a slight guilt. "You can understand our concerns, can't you?"

Guy just let out a sigh even as he remained fixated on the glowing star. "Yeah. I'll go see what he wants. Cry baby probably just getting lonely. Probably wants to gloat some more."

Somehow, Guy Gardner doubted the matter was that simple.

His ring came alive, encasing him in emerald energies as Guy lifted up off the ground and towards the star eater. As he flew, he passed within a hundred feet of another lantern on duty. As he did, he saw a bizarre expression from the alien visage that Guy interpreted to mean 'good luck.'

Guy moved deeper and deeper through the searing hot gases, protected the entire time by his ring, until he came upon it. A brilliant emerald containment cell, perfectly cubical in nature, and within it, the most dangerous being in the entire universe.

Kal-el, better known to a universe that insisted he never existed as Superboy Prime.

The somewhat lanky young man stood upright and perfectly still within his cell, dressed only in his red and blue tight pants, his entire upper torso completely undecorated save for a symbol on his chest. The symbol was the same S signal worn by Superman. Superboy Prime had carved it into his own chest with his bare fingers.

The figure in the cell seemed to be staring downwards, almost admiring his chest, which as Guy was given to understand, he was prone to do, as Guy approached the cell.

"Hello Guy." Superboy seemed to hiss as he slowly looked up at the Green Lantern. Guy knew that he couldn't actually hear through the cell, but his ring was able to pick up Superboy Prime's voice and allow him to listen in and speak back. As his face came into view, the parts of it at least that weren't obscured by his long dark hair that had grown considerably since he had been locked away, Guy saw his eyes.

Those eyes. There was nothing left in them. No sign of remorse or compassion. Nothing but pure, twisted hate. Utter contempt for anything and everything that they beheld.

Those eyes focused on Guy Gardner.

"You wanted to see me." Guy spoke plainly and evenly.

"Just one last time. I'm getting out of here. I wanted you to know that. I wanted you to know that you're stupid. You should have killed me when you had the chance."

Guy was unimpressed. "Yeah, yeah. You've been saying that since you got here. And you're still here."

"I was just waiting for the right time. I wanted everyone to be ready. I wanted them to think that I was really locked up for good. But it's not for good. I'm going to get out of here." Superboy Prime's voice was eerily calm the entire time he spoke. As Guy looked him squarely in his maddened eyes, he suddenly found himself keeping track of whether or not Superboy was even blinking.

"You're stuck in the middle of a red sun eater whose rays keep you powerless, and there are fifty Green Lanterns watching your every muscle, ready to stop you if you tense them wrong. You're not going anywhere." Guy couldn't believe he had had to rush across the universe to listen to this insane rant. Every Lantern who'd ever watched Superboy Prime had heard it already.

"That's what the Flashes thought too. They took me to that place. The Speed Force. They tried to trap me there under a red sun too. But I got out. I always do."

"Well I hate to say it, but I think your track record's about to hit a mark."

"You know, I got out of the Speed Force, but I always knew the Flashes might try to send me back. I knew I could get out again if I wanted to. Even without my armor. Want to know how I knew."

"Not especially, but I'm sure you love to hear yourself talk, so I'll guess I'm about to hear it anyway." Guy felt himself tense. A slight signal sent through his ring to the other Lanterns on guard informed them to be on alert.

"It was the crystals. The ones that were in that 'paradise' dimension that Alex trapped us all in. The ones that he used to make his fortress. They responded to my thoughts. They responded to all our thoughts in that place."

Something was wrong. Something was different. Instantly, Guy alerted every Lantern with his ring to be ready.

"I took some of them. I placed them inside my skin where they stored up a charge of solar energy that was being fed to me from my armor."

"All Lanterns…" Guy cried out.

"You're so stupid Guy."

Superboy Prime's fist slammed against the emerald cell wall with minimum apparent effort. Guy was absolutely mortified as he saw a large crack manifest itself in the walls.

"I told you I'd get out."

Superboy Prime's second punch carried much more force, this time shattering the cell completely. Emerald chunks fell apart and dissipated into nothingness as Superboy Prime floated, bathing in the red sun eater's rays.

The kryptonian from another universe might have disappeared in a burst of super speed in that very instant had every Green Lantern not responded instantly with the full force of their rings. Superboy Prime shuddered and cried out as fifty green beams of energy bore down on him.

Those stupid Lanterns had reacted faster than he thought. The red sun eater was still sapping off the charge being fed to him from the crystals inside his skin, and their charge was finite. Kal-el cried out in inhuman rage as he pushed his way past the pain. They couldn't stop him. No one could stop him.

He was going to be Superman.

No one could stop Superman.

No one.

Superboy Prime pushed himself through the pain even as the Lanterns intensified their attack.

"Code Fifty Four Lanterns." Guy cried out as he watched the insane young man push on in the face of their combined attack, inching himself forward. "Subdue by any and all means necessary. Repeat, any and all means necessary."

Ten separate Lanterns followed Guy's lead as their rings attempted to generate another cage around Superboy Prime, holding him in place while their comrades continued to wear him down with their combined attack. But he would not yield.

A murderous blast of heat vision incinerated two Green Lanterns instantly, leaving their rings to fly off like small emerald insects, even as Superboy Prime shattered their cage with another punch.

He could not wait another second longer. Every second longer in the rays of the red sun eater drained away what was left of his charge.

All those years of his life, gone. All those people that he had known, friends and family who had loved him, all had been stolen from him and all because he had tried to do the right thing. As they flashed before his mind's eye, they fueled his rage. Superboy Prime pushed all his power into his speed as he flew through the Green Lantern's attack, out of the red sun eater, and up into space.

"He's gone!"

"We're going after him. Lanterns, follow my lead." Guy cried as he flew up without hesitation. "Guardians, this is Gardner. We have a breach. The prisoner is loose. Repeat, the prisoner is loose. Send all available Lanterns to intercept."

"At what coordinates?" The holier-than-thou voice of one of the Guardians, Guy couldn't tell which at the moment, inquired.

"Where's the nearest yellow sun?"

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Superboy Prime could see the bright yellow ball burning in space. He could still reach it. He was close. Already as close to it as Saturn was to its sun in his universe.

He would have covered that distance in but another fraction of a second had his path not become suddenly blocked by a large emerald wall baring his path, materializing as if from nowhere.

Once again this took Superboy Prime by surprise. And once again, that didn't stop him from driving straight through it at full speed.

Even as the wall shattered and its chunks and debris fell off to the side, no less than twenty emerald beams bore down directly upon him. It was an attack powerful enough to destroy a moon, yet it served merely to stun the insane young man even as another ten Green Lantern beams shot forward, encasing Superboy Prime in an emerald bubble.

"Pour it on Lanterns." Guy Gardner cried as he led the charge "and remember. No matter what happens, he doesn't move another hair closer to that sun."

Superboy Prime hissed as his eyes glowed bright red, filling the green bubble with an eerie red glow as twin crimson beams shot from his eyes in an attempt to burn his way out, yet still it held. He was losing his charge. Already, he was at less than half his full strength.

The remaining Lanterns continued their assault, their beams passing harmlessly through the emerald bubble, beating down on the deranged villain, attempting to pummel him into submission. Superboy Prime burned with anger as he realized that the Lanterns were dragging him within the bubble further and further away from the sun even as they pressed their attack. In less than a second they were already out of the system. Another minute and he would be back on Oa and back in the heart of the red sun eater.

Superboy Prime dropped his heat vision and lashed out with his fist, punching the beams attacking him and managing to dissipate some of their energy, but they just kept pouring it on. He could feel his strength fading as he reached out with all his limbs, bracing him self against the bubble.

"He's weakening! Don't let up. Pour it on!"

Superboy Prime bit down on his lip as he heard Guy cry to his fellow Lanterns. Focusing with the will power of a mind long lost to reason, Superboy Prime summoned his remaining strength and began vibrating at incredible speeds, directing his vibrations against the emerald bubble holding him.

"Don't lose him! Don't lose him."

Every Lantern attacking redoubled their efforts. The strength of the bubble increased along with the intensity of the emerald beams beating down on him, but he would not yield. He was Superman. Superman could do anything. This thought burned in his mind like the fury of a thousand suns as he continued vibrating with greater and greater intensity.

The bubble finally shattered, radiating emerald energy outwards like an explosion that actually knocked several Lanterns back a bit.

In less than a fraction of the time it takes to blink, Superboy Prime shot out in a burst of super speed, with at least a dozen Lanterns in pursuit behind him. They moved to force him further away in retreat.

"Half the Lanterns stay back. He's trying to draw us away from the sun and then double back." Guy cried as he led the pursuit, all the while calling back to his comrades through his ring. "Form a barrier between him and the sun. He can't be allowed to get any closer. His tank has got to be getting close to empty but if he can get any closer to that sun, then we are finished."

True to Guy's prediction, Superboy Prime's solar charge was indeed running precariously low. So much of it had been drained out already by the red sun eater, and what had remained was rapidly being expended just to hold out against the Lanterns. Kal-el could feel it as he swooped and dived between several emerald beams lancing outwards after him. In his current state, he was only slightly more powerful than the Superman of this universe, and that would not last long against so many Green Lanterns.

Superboy Prime arched and thrashed back upwards at the last instant as another beam attempted to encase him yet again. He managed to dodge several projectiles as they tracked him, generated by Lantern rings even as he twisted himself back down, dodging three more emerald beams.

He needed something. Anything. Even as he continued his evasion, he scanned the surrounding sector of space with his telescopic vision. At full power, he could have seen across an entire galaxy and beyond. Now, he was having trouble seeing his burning yellow salvation off in the distance.

Wait… there was something. Superboy Prime felt a spark light up within him as he took off, flying away from the Green Lanterns.

"Where's he going?"

"I don't know, but we're going after him." Guy turned back to the rest of his Lanterns holding back to protect the sun of this system. "I want you guys to stay here in case this is a diversion."

"Oh no."

"What?" Guy turned to one of his comrades. His question was answered as he followed the Lantern's line of sight to see it.

An asteroid.

It was huge. At least half the size of Earth's moon.

And it was racing at incredible speeds straight for the sun.

"He's using it as a shield. Lantern's stop him."

Emerald beams lanced out at the asteroid, blasting away chunks of iron ore and carving into it like a roast. Yet still the giant space rock pressed onwards.

Guy signaled a dozen of his comrades to follow him around the asteroid as it shot past them, expecting to find Superboy Prime behind it, pushing it.

"Where is he? I don't see him."

Sure enough, the strange reptilian Lantern was correct. The Lanterns focused with their rings, yet they could not see Superboy Prime behind the asteroid as it continued to fly straight for the burning star.

"He's inside it!" Guy concluded. "Tear it away."

Sure enough, from inside a large cavern deep within the heart of the giant asteroid that he had bore into, Superboy Prime was indeed pushing his newly found 'shield' towards his target, using his x-ray vision to guide his path.

Back in space, every Green Lantern in the system had focused all their power and effort into tearing apart the asteroid. Huge chunks were blasted. Enormous craters were burned into its surface even as several Lanterns used their rings to try and slow down its approach. Another thirty seconds and the planet crushing rock would be reduced to a mere pebble in space. But by then, it would already be in range of the sun.

"We're not going to get to him in time like this. I'm going in." Asa De Templare cried out as he signaled to three more of his comrades to follow his lead as he dove straight for the surface of flying rock.

"We'll keep at it from out here. Just remember, when you see him, shoot first and ask questions later." Guy cried out as he attempted to encase the entire asteroid in his ring's field, hoping to slow it down some more as his fellow Lanterns whittled away its surface area.

_In brightest day, in blackest night…_ The Green Lantern oath recited within Asa's mind as he focused his will through his ring, his emerald energies shooting outwards, joined by the combined energies of his comrades, boring through the surface rock, as they moved towards their target.

_...No evil shall escape my sight…_ His ring was picking up a signal, a life sign, directly at the core of the asteroid. He pressed on.

_Let those who worship evils might…._ Sweat moved down what approximated his brow. He was close. They would be upon the prisoner soon. And when they were, they could not hold back.

…_ beware my power._ The prisoner was the most dangerous being in the universe. Every Lantern had been warned what he was capable of at full power. He had altered the face of the universe.

Almost there.

_Green Lantern's light!_ Asa De Templare and his fellow Green Lantern's never reacted in time. Even as they finally bore through the last bit of rock into the large central cavern, a gush of super breath froze them in their spot.

"They can't stop me. No one can stop Superman." Superboy Prime pressed on. He was so close.

Outside, the giant asteroid had been whittled down to a fraction of its former size. The former asteroid now barely qualified as a meteor.

But it was too late. Even with the added assistance of the Lanterns guarding the systems star, they had not been able to keep it from reaching its destination.

Superboy Prime saw no further use for his 'shield' as he burst out of the front of the asteroid, beholding the sun in its awesome glory.

He was still several thousand miles away from it, but that was still more than close enough. Even as the Lanterns beat back down on him with their full strength, he felt the sun's pure unfiltered rays beat down on him, restoring to him the full powers that were his kryptonian legacy.

He shrugged off the Lantern's attack as he dove straight into the heart of the sun, laughing the whole way as he dove straight through its surface, as if he were but a child joyfully diving into water on a hot summer day.

"Oh god no." Guy Gardner whispered in horror, hoping that his voice hadn't been carried over his ring to his fellow Lanterns. For a second, none of the Lanterns said a thing, each one uttering the same prayer. Each one hoping against hope that he hadn't survived. That for all his power, he had been incinerated within the sun.

These hopes were quickly dashed as a small flicker speck seemed to rise up from the sun, burning ever so slightly as it hovered over the surface of the star.

Superboy Prime floated in space, glowing brightly, bathed in solar matter. The star's gases hung about him as remained motionless, his head hung down, his face completely concealed by his hair as it hung about him.

Slowly, Superboy Prime looked up from his chest and the symbol on it as he turned towards the Green Lanterns hanging in space.

"Burn."


	2. Confrontations

_"Up, up, and away." Jerry Kent read aloud as he continued to bounce his infant audience on his knee. A slight coo came from young Clark's still toothless mouth as his tiny hands reached out at the pretty pictures in front of him while his father explained them to him. "Superboy arrives, but the lighting strikes, causing the super gorilla to use his super vision." _

_Clark__ tried to reach for the image of Superboy on the comic before him but his father pulled the page away from him before he could damage it with his tiny hands. _

_"See." The good father Kent indicated to the next panel. "See, the gorilla's super vision is powered by kryptonite, so it hurts Superboy every time he uses it." _

_"Ok that does it." Father and son alike looked up at the sound of the voice. "We are getting him some real stories to read to him before bed time tomorrow." _

_"And just what is so wrong with comics?" Jerry Kent argued, unwittingly drawing the comic in hand closer to him, allowing young Clark to grab at its pages of his own accord. "My dad read me comics when I was little." _

_"I was read Little Red Riding Hood." Naomi Kent countered. "And that was fine for me." _

_"Red Riding Hood?" Jerry looked at her as if in disbelief. "Doesn't she get eaten and the wolf has to be chopped open. Those stories make comic books seem like fairy tales by comparison." He indicated to the comic in hand, unaware as little Clark seemed to roughly turn the pages on his own, his eyes intently scanning over them. _

_"Comics are too violent these days." Naomi insisted. "Besides, I thought you were the one worried about him growing up with 'Superman' issues and now you're reading him Superman comics." _

_"Well…" Jerry seemed to falter a bit before turning back down to his son "I figure he might as well know what he's in store for. Besides, look how much he likes them." _

_Little Clark Kent paid his bickering parents no mind. His eyes instead remained fixed on the brightly colored panels on pages before him. Though he was far too young to appreciate their significance, they held his attention undisputedly. _

_"Well, tomorrow, I'm going to pick the bed time story." Naomi Kent decided finally before looking down on her watch. "And speaking of bed time…" _

_"I know. Hang on, let us finish the story." Jerry turned down to see that Clark had already flipped several pages beyond it and to the next story in the compendium. Realizing that little Clark was more interested in the pictures, he decided to simply sit and watch as his tiny son moved from page to page in utter fascination. Occasionally, Clark would glance back up to see if his daddy was watching and looking at the neat pictures as well, but for the most part, his eyes moved of their own accord. _

_Though both parents would have sworn it impossible, they thought they could see as Clark actually began to scan each panel of each page in their natural progression, moving on to the next page as if following the story. _

_"Jerry… is Clark reading?" _

_"Don't be silly Naomi. He's just a baby." Jerry assured as he ruffled his son's hair, yet even he had to wonder as he watched his son go through the motions of reading. When Clark had finally finished, he closed the comic and then looked up to his dad's eyes as if hopeful for another story. _

_"Ok, enough about Superboy for one night." Naomi decided as she crossed the room, picking up her child in her arms and lifting him over to his crib. "It's time for sleep." She leaned in, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Good night Clark." _

_"Night son." Jerry rose from his reading chair over to the crib, leaning in to kiss Clark as well. The two parents looked down finally at their baby before rising up to leave the room, shutting off the lights as they left. _

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"You don't like it." She decided out loud.

"I didn't say that Lois. You did." Mild mannered Clark Kent insisted as he continued chewing his food, the succulent meat on his plate being devoured at a steady pace.

"Of course not. There never was a restaurant that staff reporter Clark Kent didn't give a favorable review too." Mrs. Kent insisted jokingly as she gently pressed her barely touched plate a hair further away from where she sat.

"The food here is actually pretty good Lois." Clark insisted as he continued with his lunch. "And besides, I'm pretty sure you forfeit the right to complain when it's on the house."

"It's our job to complain. That's why it's on the house." Lois reminded, eyeing her husband squarely.

"Look, we're here for the Planet, so we might as well make the most of it." Clark knew Lois. Somehow, she was much happier being at the front lines of the latest super villain attack on the city or at ground zero of the latest alien invasion than writing up a review of the latest ritzy restaurant in Metropolis. Lois Lane Kent never did consider it a 'good day at the office' unless she came within a hair's length of impending doom.

"That is such a 'Clark Kent' thing to say." Lois smiled wryly as she bravely reached for her fork, willing to at least continue picking at her salad. The irony that she was married to both the most and least mild mannered person in the whole world at the same time had not been lost upon her.

"I've been known to…" Lois Lane-Kent watched as her husband's attention seemed suddenly drawn off by something else, most likely something beyond the range of human hearing. Kryptonian hearing on the other hand, she was well aware, was not so limited.

" Clark, what is it?"

"An alert. From the League. It's coming from the beacon in my belt. I need to…" but once again, something caught Clark Kent's attention. This time, Lois heard it too. A screeching howl tearing through the air, growing louder and more piercing.

It was then that they could see it.

It moved at such incredible speed that it appeared as nothing more than an imperceptible blur as it moved straight for the fiftieth floor where the collection of Metropolis' finest were dining.

It came to a resounding stop mere inches from the window that the couple dinned next to, and as it did, the resulting shockwave swept clean across the restaurant. Glass flew as tables were blown away. Patrons, waiters and tables alike were swept up like twigs before a tornado.

For a second, Lois Lane Kent thought that she too would be swept away, until she felt a very familiar frame crouch protectively before her, shielding her from flying glass and the shockwave. Lois clung to her husband as she tried to cover her ears from the sound of the explosion.

It was all over so soon, it seemed like it had been imagined. But as both husband and wife took a look around, seeing the luxury restaurant completely devoid of life as it had been forcibly expelled out the large glass window walls at the opposite end of the dining room, they realized this nightmare was all too real.

Clark Kent was about to react, preparing to rush out and catch as many people from the restaurant as possible when a steel strong arm gripped him by the neck. The voice hissing into his ear froze his blood every bit as much as when the man of steel had first laid eyes upon Doomsday after his miraculous return.

"You lied to them all. You fooled them into thinking that you were the real Superman. But you're not." The seemingly frail looking young man hovered ominously a few feet over the floor with his hostage still in his grasp.

"Kal-el." Clark Kent gasped for air.

"I knew the real Superman. I was trapped in that place with him. We both watched you fail. We saw you let the world fall apart around you. And when we tried to make things right, you corrupted him. You turned him against me and Alex. You made me kill him, but now that he's gone, I will be Superman. I'm the only who can be. Once you're gone too."

"Lois, get out of here now." Clark Kent insisted in a gasp, removing his glasses as he tore away the buttons of his formal business shirt.

"Oh don't worry. I won't hurt her." Superboy Prime assured, even as he hissed at the kryptonian symbol of hope that shown on Superman's chest. "Superman is supposed to save Lois Lane. And I am Superman."

Superboy Prime dove forward in a burst of super speed that caught even Superman off guard. The two kryptonians from different universes flew right through the large building and clear out the other end. The wash of their flight uplifted Lois and sent her flying across the room only to land roughly on the floor.

Lois moaned in agony for a second but when she tried to stir, she noticed a shard of broken glass inside her lower right gut. As best she could, she tried to scan her surroundings for her purse and her cell phone.

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Superboy Prime and Superman tore through the city at such speeds that building plaster and concrete were torn away. Superboy Prime's fists continued to smash down on Superman's face, the Man of Steel barely able to remain conscious, much less remember the last time he had been hit as hard as he tried to stay focused. Superboy Prime was so fast, so strong; Superman grimaced as he realized that aside from his shirt being pulled aside, he was still dressed in his civilian clothing. Of course, he realized, the two were moving so fast that absolutely no one who might notice the two could possibly realize.

"How could anyone think that you're Superman?" Superboy Prime let loose with a shockwave releasing blow that knocked Superman into the ground below, sending huge slabs of concrete into the air as if they weighed mere ounces as he disappeared below street level. "You're too weak to be Superman."

Superboy Prime lowered himself to the street, oblivious to the crowd of onlookers that continued to gawk helplessly at him as he stared down at the street beneath his feet.

"Get up. You're making us both look bad." Superboy Prime hissed as Superman, now in full costume, pulled himself slowly, wearily from the large crater in the ground.

"You have to stop this." Superman could feel his left eye begin to swell itself tighter even as he rubbed his jaw, making sure it hadn't been dislocated. "If you want me then fine, but let's take this away from the city. Away from people."

"Why? What possible difference could it make?" Superboy Prime spat with venom in his voice as he indicated to the crowd of terrified onlookers. "It's not like their real. It's not like you're real. On my world, you're all just drawings on paper. You're just a fictional character. You're not real. I'm the only one who's real. I'm the only one who actually matters." The hatred in Superboy Prime's voice grew as he continued to stare at his counterpart.

"Is that all you can say?" Superman allowed the incredulousness in his voice to pull him to his feet as he stared in horror at himself trapped in hate. "You murdered over a dozen heroes including Kal-L and Superboy, dozens of Green Lanterns, and were responsible for billions of deaths with the Rann-Thanagar war, and all you can say is 'they weren't real?'"

"How about 'good riddance'?" Superboy Prime smirked.

At this, Superman clenched his fists and jaw as he flew straight at the young sick doppelganger of himself. However, his charge was cut short as Superboy Prime caught Superman's neck within his right hand, chocking the Man of Steel with only the barest of apparent effort.

"You won't come back this time." Superboy Prime hissed in cruel triumph. "This time you'll stay dead and I'll be Superman. It'll be so much better this way."

"Don't bet on it." A blur of red and lightening called out as it came from nowhere, knocking Superboy Prime off Superman and through the streets, the deranged kryptonian skidding right through concrete as if it were mud. "You're the dead man here, not him."

"Flash?" Superman coughed as he held his throat. He tried to steady his feet, only to notice a familiar dark cowl and cape at his side.

"Take small breaths. He may have ruptured your trachea." Batman instructed as he performed a quick visual diagnosis.

"B-Bru…" Superman tried to speak in a soft whisper but found even that much effort to be too painful.

"We got the call from the Lanterns only a minute ago. Tried to gather everyone we could. We knew this is where he'd come back for; for you."

At Batman's use of the word 'we', Superman took a moment to scan his surroundings. Coming in from above and behind, the Justice League of America was quick to descend upon the scene. Full time members and as many allies as the League could scrounge up on such short notice. Wonder Woman, the Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart, the Martian Manhunter, Power Girl, the Flash, Captain Marvel, Captain Atom and a whole ensemble of others. As Superman's vision blurred, he stopped trying to count them all.

Superboy Prime rose sharply up from the street, the taste of copper on his lips catching his attention. "You-you hurt me." He spat out in an angry whisper.

"Now how could that be?" The Flash came at him in another blur, his hyper accelerated fists again smashing into the insane young man's face. "I thought we weren't real. Isn't that right? Isn't that why you killed Conner? Why you tried to wipe us all out of existence; because we don't actually exist."

"No." Superboy Prime was actually able to perceive the Flash, catching his fist within his super strong grip. "I tried to erase you all because you're corrupt." At this, Superboy Prime held the Flash still within his grip, smirking as he added "I killed Conner because he was weak."

"Don't go there!" The Flash cried out as his spare hand struck at the speed of light, knocking Prime back. "He was a hundred times the hero you could ever dream of being. He was the real hero. You'll never measure up to him. Never."

Superboy Prime felt super fast fists pummel him again and again, knocking him senselessly to the hard Metropolis street beneath him. He ignored the ache in his body as he rose, when suddenly a red glow seemed to fill the sky, and an all too familiar sensation seemed to wrack his entire body.

"What… my powers?" Superboy Prime could feel his muscles tremble at the sensation. Although he had been completely recharged by the rays of the yellow sun from earlier, and the crystals still beneath his skin had even stored an enormous reserve charge of their own again, the effect of the apparent red sun radiation was unmistakable. Superboy Prime looked up to see Captain Atom glowing red.

"Sorry son. This won't hurt too much, but it should take some of the fight out of you."

Superboy Prime's eye glowed red to match with hate but twin emerald beams lanced down upon him, stunning him slightly as he rose while another red blur ran by, knocking him off balance. Superboy Prime could see the Green Lanterns over head and the Flash doubling back for another pass, and slammed his fists together.

The resulting shockwave was just below the effect of an atomic detonation. It spread out mercilessly, tearing away the structures of buildings all around, leaving them to crumble helplessly to the ground. It incinerated helpless bystanders not yet cleared away and even those with skin of steel could not help but to be tossed aside helplessly like twigs before a tornado.

The devastation spread outward and Superboy Prime watched with a kind of wicked satisfaction as cries and shrieks of terror lingered for a second here and there before being silenced. Secondary explosions triggered like dominos and fires filled the sky with belching smoke within mere seconds.

"I'm making this place better. You have to tear down before you can build back up." Superboy Prime whispered with assurance.

"Monster!" Power Girl's cries came at the head of a charge with Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman centimeters behind. The three tackled the insane young kryptonian to the ground as fists mighty enough to topple mountains beat down without restraint to attempt to subdue him.

"Hello Kara." Superboy Prime hissed with delight as he swatted Captain Marvel aside and in to a nearby mass of wreckage.

"You're insane. Deranged." Kara's eyes glowed with crimson energy as her heat vision shot out, aiming directly for Superboy Prime's eyes, but he merely defended against the attack with heat vision of his own, his beams meeting hers exactly.

"I'm just aware is all." Superboy Prime's next strike served to knock Wonder Woman off of him with little apparent regard as he slowly intensified the force of his heat vision. "I've seen what you haven't. I've stepped back and seen just how bad it all is. I've seen how it used to be, how it could be. I've seen things you can't possibly imagine."

"You killed my cousin." Power Girl bit back the fear in her voice as she felt her heat vision falter against his. Slowly, she backed away even as he rose to his feet in spite of her, their beams still locked in struggle against each other.

"No, you killed him." Superboy Prime spat back as his attack intensified further. "You helped stop us from making the Earth perfect. We could have brought back Lois, we could have made everything perfect, and you had to help stop it. If it weren't for you, he'd still be alive."

"That's a lie!" Power Girl tried to reach deep within herself for power she simply didn't have. The counter heat vision was within inches of her eyes as she felt herself barely able to maintain her attack further. Her eyes flinched and shuddered at the heat.

Superboy Prime dropped his attack as a mental bolt tore through his mind, causing him to cry out in agony as the phased form of the Martian Manhunter flew at him, landing a strong blow across his face which served only to stun Superboy Prime further.

"We've got to keep him down." Superman and Supergirl flew in unison towards their target. Despite his injuries, Superman knew that this mad man had to be stopped, no matter what the cost.

Unfortunately, the courage of the heroes assembled simply wasn't equal to their power. Still disorientated, Superboy Prime none the less let out a mighty backhand that knocked both kryptonians back, almost completely tearing their heads off in the process.

"You c-can't stop me. No o-one can stop me." Superboy Prime stood uneasily even as Martian Manhunter once again struck across his face. The kryptonian from another universe retaliated with heat vision that the Martian seemed to anticipate and phase right through.

For all his power, Superboy Prime had very little experience in true battle. To maintain a hold of one's senses, no matter how powerful they were, and to maintain a firm grip on one's mental faculties over the sharp cry of it all was as yet beyond him. As a result, he was too distracted swatting at the intangible Martian to notice a caped and cowled figure sneaking up behind him.

By the time Superboy Prime was even aware of Batman, the Dark Knight had already placed the sonic generator just beneath the kryptonian's left ear. The resulting shriek was overwhelming for a boy whose hearing could detect a pin dropping on the other side of the world.

Superboy Prime cried out in further agony as Martian Manhunter, now assisted by a recovered Wonder Woman and Supergirl, renewed their attack. The screaming and writhing young man seemed more affected by the sonic attack than by the physical one, yet this did nothing to lessen their efforts.

"Keep him down." Both Green Lantern's, having only just managed to dig their way out of the rubble they had been blasted beneath earlier, owing their lives to the powers of their rings, now forced all of their will power through the small emerald bands. The force of this attack combined with the physical pounding he was receiving caused the concrete and steel beneath him to shake and shudder further.

"Save a piece of him for me." Power Girl rushed over to assist.

"No. Get off of me!" Superboy Prime pushed through the pain, swatting all those off of him and knocking the prone figure of Wonder Woman into the two Green Lanterns even as he took a split second to tear the sonic generator attached to his ear and crush it to harmless fragments.

The Martian Manhunter was the first to recover, but failed to phase in time to avoid being frozen solid and immobile by a blast of super breath.

Supergirl was next as she charged the deranged super villain. She drove to land a powerful blow to his face, but he dodged it in a micro burst of super speed before landing a slap across her face that knocked her aside. Superboy Prime merely spat in disgust. "Are all the kryptonians from this universe so weak?"

"Strength is meaningless without the wisdom to use it properly." Superboy Prime felt himself ensnared by a golden lasso, and looked up to see Wonder Woman holding the other end. "And even your strength cannot break the…"

Her words were cut off as Superboy Prime spun in place, pulling the rope taught and pulling Wonder Woman off her feet. She fell into Superboy Prime's chocking grasp as he held her up for inspection.

"Hello Diana. You know, Alex and I were watching when your Amazon's fled. Would you like to know where they went to? I know." Superboy Prime smiled in delight. "Maybe I'll pay them a visit after you're gone."

"Let go of her now!" Batman outburst was preceded by four batarangs, each emitting a high pitched sonic frequency well beyond the range of human hearing, but well within the range of canine and kryptonian hearing.

Unfortunately, even Superboy Prime was smart enough to anticipate such an attack again as he quickly incinerated all four flying weapons with his heat vision before hurling the figure of Wonder Woman straight at the Dark Knight. Batman immediately went prone, catching her body within his own as he rolled accordingly with her momentum, trying to slow them both.

"Enough of this." Superman dove towards his counter part, an overwhelming sense of responsibility driving him as he tried to tackle Superboy Prime single handedly. It was a mistake that cost him dearly as his younger doppelganger grabbed Superman between his arms in another choke hold.

"I agree." Prime hissed into Superman's ears. "Let's end this. Faster than a speeding bullet."

Superboy Prime launched into the air with Superman still within his grasp. Both kryptonians could see several of the heroes chasing after them, but both knew it was a futile effort.

They cleared the atmosphere in the blink of an eye. Superman was able to see twin emerald dots chasing after them, naturally hoping the Green Lanterns might possibly be able to keep up.

It was a hope that dashed quickly as the emerald flares faded even from Superman's far ranging sight. Desperate and determined, Superman continued to struggle, yet Superboy's grasp did not flinch in the slightest.

"More powerful than a locomotive." Superboy Prime allowed his far reaching telescopic vision to scan the heavens, guiding him towards his destination.

Neither of them was really able to appreciate just how long it took them before reaching their destination, but as Superman's telescopic vision settled upon the sight, he felt his blood freeze.

"Remember this?" Superboy Prime hissed in the airless vacuum. "You tried to stop me here last time. Welcome home, Superman. Welcome to Krypton. Or at least, what's left of it."

Superman flinched as the enormous chunks of his floating home world drifted past him, sapping his strength. Superboy Prime carried them both closer towards one of the larger glowing chunks of rock, smiling the whole time.

"Remember what I told you?" Superboy Prime laughed in triumph as the floating chunks of debris passed him by harmlessly. "This kryptonite isn't from my universe. It doesn't hurt me. But it still hurts you, doesn't it?"

Superman felt the all too familiar poisoning effects of the kryptonite. He renewed his struggle within Superboy Prime's unflinching grasp, yet it seemed all the more futile now than ever. Superboy seemed to have tightened his grasp in triumph while the kryptonite slowly worked to kill off his strength.

"If you're lucky, the void will kill you before the kryptonite does." Superboy Prime finally released his grasp over Superman, allowing his opposite to float in space.

Superman tried to regain a hold of himself, enough to try and fly away. However, even as he was able to summon the last of his strength needed to escape, a red boot came up into his face, knocking him off balance as he finally lost a hold of his sense.

"This is where it begins for Superman." Superboy Prime mused aloud. "Lone orphan of a dead world. This is where it should end. This is where it will end."

Superman, as a last thought, drifted in mind across hundreds of light years. Back to earth, to his home, to his friends and family. To the ones he loved most.

"Lois…" And with that, everything went black.

"I'll send her your regards." Superboy Prime smiled in triumph as he laughed into the soundless void of space. "I told them it would happen. I knew it would. And now it has. I'm the only one left. The only one who can be him. I'm Superman now!!"

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He took his time in returning to Earth. He allowed himself to savor his moment. He wasn't Superboy Prime anymore. He was Superman now. His destiny had been realized. He was complete.

He had spent his time soaring the heavens on his way back to Earth, musing over all the different ways he would dispose of the other so-called 'heroes.' It would be much slower for some than for others. Kara would have to pay dearly for all that she had done. And of course, Wonder Woman. She would suffer for being so much worse than the others. Maxwell Lord may have fully deserved his fate, but still… And then there was the Flash.

Superboy Prime shuddered at the thought.

Oh, he hated the Flash.

He could see Earth fast approaching. It wasn't his Earth, not his original Earth anyway. But it was going to have to do, because it was his and his alone now. He could do it. Without anyone left to stop him, he could make it perfect

Superboy Prime intensified his telescopic vision to scan over the Earth. His gaze passed over entire nations at war with themselves. He witnessed over a hundred murders in the span of a few seconds. People poisoning their own planet as they allowed criminals to prosper and innocents to suffer.

Such a rotten world. How could the heroes continue to defend it? For a long moment, he thought of simply pushing the whole thing into the sun and being through with it.

Then, he saw something that took his breath away and froze him in his place.

Long, smooth brown hair flowed down the face of an angel with perfect blue eyes. She walked within a scum ridden alley of Metropolis' Suicide Slum, her sweater filthy and torn, her blue jeans in much the same shape. In spite of the filth covering her face, he immediately recognized the flawlessly smooth curve of her chin, the softness of her cheeks leaving familiar warmth that he had not felt in lord knew how many ages within his palm.

It was impossible. It couldn't be her. Not her. Not here. He had watched her be taken away.

A forgotten name came to dance on his lips, whispered to a void that would not carry it further. He remembered the name.

"Laurie." That was it. "Laurie Lemmon."

She was alive!


	3. Reunion

_"Alright children, pay attention." Mrs. Hermapple cried out to the large group of children. "Now remember, the assignment is to find at least three different types of insects out here in the park. You then will take them back to the class room and try to identify and label them properly. Now I want all of you to stay with each of your buddies throughout the entire day. Absolutely no one is to go off alone." _

_"U-uh, Mrs. Hermapple…" a timid young voice raised its hand from off to the side. _

_"Yes Clark." The teacher responded with a sigh. _

_"I… I don't have a buddy." Five year old Clark Kent admitted shamefully, his declaration eliciting several snickers among the class gathered outdoors at the local park. _

_"Mrs. Hermapple!" A young, high pitched voice cried out. "I don't have a buddy neither. I'll go with Clark." _

_A collective 'Oooooh' rose up from the class, drawing a fierce red blush across Clark's cheeks as he tried to bury his face within his 'Batman' t-shirt. _

_"Ok, settle down kids." The teacher addressed her class before turning to the young brunette. "Thank you Laurie. Alright class, now remember, I don't want anyone going to far. Everyone stay close." _

_The children hardly paid her any further heed. Fortunately, there were enough teachers helping out and the park was small enough that it wouldn't be too great an issue. Unwilling to stay still another second, each and every child immediately ran off in every direction, leaving a timid Clark to look up bashfully at his would be savior. _

_"Hi." She spoke first as she walked over, offering him a nervous handshake. "I'm Laurie." _

_"H-hi." Clark tried not to sound too nervous at her introduction. Of course, he knew her. Everyone knew Laurie Lemmon. She was the most cutest girl in the whole school, and anyone who ever brought up the subject to Clark would immediately guess that he felt that way. "I'm Clark Kent." _

_"Clark Kent?" She asked as though she might have misheard. Young Clark braced himself for the usual Superboy-themed taunts that he knew were com… "I like that name." _

_"Really?" Clark let out a relieved smile. Although he was far too young to appreciate what it meant, he watched a deep crimson blush burn across Laurie's freckled cheeks. _

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Laurie held at her sides, still wincing in pain as she turned into the graffiti adorned alleyway and off the sidewalks. Between being knocked into the side of a brick wall from that blast earlier and the ache she was still trying to work out of her jaw, she was having one of the worst days of her week. Zack had been in another of his moods when she had seen him this morning, and she was hoping to use the mark he left across her face as an excuse to spend the night in a warm bed, for a change, at Metropolis General.

At least, that had been her plan until the entire city had gone to hell. She'd been on her way downtown when some kind of blast wave had knocked her right off her feet and into the side of a brick wall and she still smarted from it.

She had been lucky.

No one really seemed to know what had hit. The news reports said only that it was something involving Superman and the rest of the Justice League down town. The word on the street was that it was the end of the world. Of course, in Suicide Slum, that was always the word on the street.

Emergency rooms would be packed for sure. They'd have no room for some girl with a sore couple of ribs and a broken jaw, though truth be told, Laurie was pretty sure it wasn't really broken. She'd taken harder hits than that since moving to Metropolis. Still, with emergency services stretched across the entire city, the best she could hope for today was to find a grocery store that hadn't already been looted clean and maybe scrounge up some real food for herself. Her stomach growled loudly as she tried to recall the last time she had eaten.

_"Not since last night at Zack's…"_ Laurie shuddered at the thought. As with so many of her other… times… with Zack, she tried not let it linger too long among her conscious thoughts. Instead, she pushed it out of her mind and hurried her pace down the alley.

A sudden and brief gust of wind caught her attention, and as she turned around, Laurie froze in her tracks at the sight. Standing, or rather hovering, not ten feet before her and three feet off the ground was a tall, lanky male figure in blue slacks with red boots. His entire top half was completely bare save for an 'S' symbol, matching Superman's, carved into his very skin. He almost looked even worse than she did, yet his face bore the expression of a lost puppy as he spoke to her.

"Laurie." He simply whispered her name as if star struck.

Laurie felt her mouth go dry as her heart leaped into her chest.

"Help!" Laurie cried as she turned promptly about and darted for the end of the alley, only to see the lanky thin figure appear before her in a burst of speed.

"Laurie, it's me. It's Su… it's Clark."

"Help! For the love of god, someone help me." Laurie cursed herself even as she turned back around, running back the way she had just come. "Fire! Fire." That was what to yell if you needed help. Not to cry out for aide, but to warn of danger.

Her cries were silenced as the tall figure again appeared before her. This time, his hand flew over her mouth silencing her.

"Laurie, don't you recognize me? It's Clark. Clark Kent." He pleaded as he looked into her eyes for some sign of recognition. Instead there was nothing but fear and panic.

Superboy Prime tried to remember his enormous strength. Fortunately, the crystals inserted within his skin were solving that problem for him, allowing him to draw in a large amount of his surface solar charge and bring his strength down some what.

"Laurie please. You have to remember. It's me. Don't you recognize me at all?" Superboy Prime didn't want her to scream, so he kept his hand over her mouth. The look in her eyes answered his questions for him anyway.

"What the hell's this?" An angry voice demanded from behind. Both Superboy Prime and Laurie turned around to see three figures standing at the opposite end of the alley. The one on the far left was a dark skinned young man in torn jeans that practically hugged his knees, a torn tee shirt that went down to where his jeans were, and a red rag over his head. His opposite was white with a bad 'morning after' shave, red slacks and a black shirt with a winter's cap covering dirty brown hair. The one in the lead also had caucasian skin, full jeans that looked like they hadn't been washed since the last presidential election and a thick leather coat. It was this one that caused hope to flash in Laurie's eyes as she rushed out of Superboy Prime's distracted grip and over to him.

"Zack! Zack, oh thank you. Thank you. Thank…" Laurie moved to embrace him but was pushed back harshly by the arms.

"What the hell is wrong with you? And who the freak is this?" Zack indicated to the paralyzed and confused Prime standing aghast and frozen, starring helplessly at Laurie.

"I don't know! I swear. He came at me and put his hand over my mouth. He was going to attack me! Baby, you gotta believe me." Laurie would have continued further, but a fast slap burned across her face, silencing her. Zack's act of dominance drew horrified looks from both Laurie and Superboy Prime.

"I don't care about you or your freak boyfriend. Did your worthless butt sell any …archk!" Steel like hands appeared over Zack's throat, constricting it with the barest effort manageable and lifting him off his feet to dangle helplessly in the air.

"Don't. Ever. Hit her." Superboy Prime uttered the guttural threat through gritted teeth with a look that would have frightened the Anti-Monitor as he held the helpless thug within a grip that could have crush the windpipes of a god. "If you touch her again, I'll kill you."

Superboy Prime's threat drew an even more terrified gasp from Laurie. She slowly began to back away from him, even as the rest of Zack's 'crew' sprung to his defense. Albeit, ineptly.

"Yo man, get off him." The one with low riding jeans and the rag for a bandana tried to pull at Superboy Prime's arms, but they would not budge in the slightest. Superboy Prime did not even seem to notice him.

"Let him go or I'll waste you." The second cried, pulling out a nine millimeter automatic from the back of his pants and aiming it straight for Superboy Prime's chest. "I swear man, drop him or I'll drop you."

Superboy Prime just continued to snarl at Zack. The leather jacketed gasps for air were finally droned out as three gun shots cried out across the alley.

Every set of eyes looked down upon Superboy Prime's chest, expecting fresh bullet wounds to mark alongside the carved super emblem. Instead, four astonished gasps rose as the bullet bounced off, leaving no trace whatsoever.

Prime's only response was to turn to the gun man, his eyes glowing an eerie deep crimson hue. In the flash of both eyes, the armed punk had been reduced to nothing but a small pile of ash.

"Mark!" His untouched comrade cried out before turning to look up in wide eyed astonishment at Prime. "Freak is Superman!"

"Yes I am." Superboy Prime announced coldly before indicating over to where Laurie stood, still frozen in her tracks at the sight. "She needs money. Give her yours. Both of you."

Neither needed to be told twice as they both reached into their pockets, grabbing separate wads of ruffled up twenties, fives and ones and throwing them to the ground at Laurie's feet. Her deep blue eyes looked down upon them before looking back up at three men in front of her.

"I want your jacket." Superboy Prime demanded of Zack. He didn't hesitate, removing it hurriedly and handing it to the dark haired man holding him, desperate for air. In response, Superboy Prime effortlessly snapped his neck, leaving his lifeless body to fall to the concrete ground.

Laurie looked over with a terrified confusion even as the last of the trio turned to flee down the alley, screaming for help, all the while Superboy Prime casually dressed in Zack's jacket. His screams were silenced as a second blast of heat vision reduced him to mere ash as well.

"Oh god, please don't hurt me." Laurie pleaded, falling to her knees and holding up the crumpled up bills tossed at her, her voice gasped between the tears. "Here take it. Keep it. Just please don't hurt me."

"Laurie, I won't hurt you." Superboy Prime held up his hands to indicate his harmlessness even as he slowly walked towards her. All rage had now fled his face, replaced only by concern and a horror at Laurie's terrified reaction. Attacks capable of vaporizing a building would barely faze Superboy Prime, yet the look of undiluted fear across Laurie's perfect features at his approach cut through him to his very core.

"Please, please…" Laurie fell to tears, no longer able to speak. She simply buried her face within her hands still stuffed with crumpled dollar bills, not wanting to see the end. She was going to die. She was sure of it. She had done nothing to deserve this. She had done nothing to deserve any of the cruel hands she had been dealt by life of late. Yet ever since she had moved to Metropolis, it seemed like life had simply refused to cut her any slack.

"Laurie…" He had no words. He was as terrified of her as she of him. "I promise I won't hurt you. I could never hurt you."

She either didn't hear him or didn't believe him.

"Let me take you somewhere." He knelt down before her and brought his hand to her chin, bringing her face up and gazing directly into her perfect eyes. No amount of dirt and grime could ever hide the sparkle of those jewel eyes. "I give you my word I won't hurt you. Tell me where you live."

She sniffled as her gaze met his. In spite of her sureness that she was about to die, she could not help but feel something… something gnawing at her memory. She was met by a smile, one that she could not help but feel had been missing somehow. Between that, and the desperate hopes of staving off her impending death, and perhaps even the chance of escape, she simply nodded.

He didn't say another word as he scooped her up within his hands. She felt lighter than a feather within his grasp as he lifted her off the ground. For all the brutality he had displayed mere moments ago, his hold of her was gentle, tender even as he stood.

She let out a small yelp as she felt them both rise up into the air and could not help herself as her hands flew around his neck, clinging to him for dear life. Though she was far too frightened to see it, a deep crimson blush burned across Superboy Prime's cheeks as she ended up burying her head into his shoulders out of fear.

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"There's more under here." Supergirl cried out as she tore away at rubble, revealing two small girls trapped beneath. Apparently, a steel beam had bent at precisely the necessary angle to obstruct most of the wreckage, both burying and saving the young eight year old and her five year sister at the same time.

Emergency workers were at Supergirl's side within seconds, helping the sniffling young girls over and away from the wreckage to the nearby medical tent. Tents like it had been set up across the city, separating the injured from the critical cases and seeing who needed patching up and who would need major surgery.

The blond heroine took another view with her x-ray vision through the wreckage. She had to limit herself to one corner at a time to make sure that she didn't miss or completely scan through someone. "That looks like the last in this block. We should get over to the next block."

"We just got word." A tall brown haired police officer spoke. "Flash and the Green Lantern's just cleared it out. I can't imagine what this would have been like if you Leaguers hadn't been here."

Supergirl swallowed a lump in her throat as she took a look at the devastation around her. In spite of the officer's words of praise, she found it hard to believe that the presence of so many heroes had made any difference at all against Superboy Prime, and she didn't even want to contemplate the force it would take to do so.

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The rotted through door opened at the slightest touch. Zack had kicked the door in, breaking the lock clean off weeks ago and Laurie could barely afford to feed herself, let alone replace it. Shaking the entire way, she walked right in, followed by the young man in the leather jacket and blue pants.

Superboy Prime took a moment to look over the hovel that was to serve as an actual domicile. The paint was peeling off the wall and the floor was littered in everything from picked dry chip bags to empty needles. It was a simple, one room place, with a bathroom off to the side, what served for a kitchen area immediately to the right of the doorway and then the main living area with a lone, torn up couch off to the side, all in the same space. In the center of the room was a worn in mattress with a loose spring out the side and a few blankets crumpled atop it with a single pillow.

"This is where you live?" He asked, absolutely horrified at the filth. He still remembered her bedroom in her old house back at Smallvile, the walls painted a light sea blue and decorated with posters and trophies and pictures of her and her friends. And of the two of them. He had only been up to her room once when they had first started dating, and hadn't heard the end of it at school for weeks. Yet he could still see every detail of it so clearly.

"Y-yes." She admitted meekly. Although she had calmed down somewhat since the alley, she was still sure that he was marching her to her execution.

Superboy Prime took a long look around at the filth before looking up to her. "Do you have any garbage bags?"

"Uh," Laurie was caught off guard by the question and needed a second to think. "The landlord keeps a bunch of cleaning supplies in a closet at the end of the hall, but he keeps it locked. Doesn't want us stealing anything."

Prime allowed himself to smirk at Laurie's words. And then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Laurie took a second to look around, trying to find him when a gust of wind zoomed in past her, blowing her hair up in her face as a blue and black blur darted from one end of the room to the other and back and forth and then out again. The door slammed shut behind him before swinging back open and as Laurie looked up, she was astonished at what she saw.

In the blink of an eye, her place had been completely cleaned. Every bit of trash, every speck of dirt, gone. It looked like he had even repainted the walls. It hadn't looked this good when she'd first moved in.

"There." She heard a satisfied voice from behind and looked back to see Prime nonchalantly rubbing his hands together as he walked over to the couch to sit down. "Much better."

Something about the way he sat rubbed her insides the wrong way. He looked at her with such an innocent, harmless, almost charming expression across his features. Given that she had just seen him casually kill three men, this somehow frightened her worse than if he had flat out told her of his plans to rape and kill her. It wasn't that she regretted the deaths of either Zack or any of his friends. They had done things to her that would haunt her for the rest of her life. They'd gotten what they deserved. It was knowing that this lunatic would probably do the same to her unless she gave him what she wanted and she simply didn't have the first clue what that was.

"Could… do you want to sit down?" He asked almost shyly, indicating to the other end of the couch.

"Ok." She nodded as she carefully stepped towards the couch, making certain to sit at the far end opposite of him.

For what seemed like an eternity to them both, there was silence; their eyes wandering over every square inch of the apartment, except at each other.

"You… you look nice."

She finally looked up from the floor to cast an astonished gaze at his face. He had the look of a small boy talking to a girl. Somehow, what little confidence there had been on his face receded at the sight of her disbelief.

"What do you want from me?" She asked.

"I… I just…" Superboy Prime tried to think of how to explain who he was and how they knew each other. In the end, the words, the memories, all fled him. "Don't you recognize me at all?"

"No." Laurie said insistently. "Should I?"

"W-we grew up together. In Smallvile." He explained nervously and fondly. "My name is Clark Kent. We… we were boyfriend and girlfriend."

Laurie took a long moment to stare at him as her jaw dropped at his claim. "We were?"

"Yes."

"You and me?"

"Yes." A small enthusiasm grew in his voice as he dared to venture on. "My parents were Jerry and Naomi Kent. You kissed me on the cheek on my ninth birthday. We went to the New Hampton School Halloween party dressed like Superboy and Lori the Mermaid when I first got my powers. You always thought I was moody."

"Whoa, whoa." She held up her hands, stopping him in his tracks. "Listen, only half of what you're saying is making any sense. For starters, the Kents never had any children. They tried for years."

"I know. I was adopted. I'm from Krypton."

Somehow, her jaw dropped even further. Laurie was about to list off the one hundred thousand and five different things absurd with that statement. Then, she suddenly paid mind to the current state of her room and the fact that she had just flown here in this young man's very arms, and decided it was worth it to at least hear out the rest of his story.

"They loved me and raised me like their own son, and named me Clark Kent, just like out of the super hero in the comics."

"Which super hero?"

"Superman."

"Superman's not a comic character, he's real."

"No he's not!" Superboy Prime couldn't help as his anger flashed. "He's not real. None of the heroes out there are. But you and me are."

"What?" Laurie felt herself growing more and more confused and weary the longer she listened to his story.

"You and I are from an Earth, a better Earth than this one, where all the super heroes are just comic characters. But there were other Earths, where they were all real. And then something happened. The other Earths were all either destroyed or merged into this one. Into one, new, bad Earth. Nobody remembers it because their histories all changed with each other, but I remember it. I remember our Earth, and I know you do too."

"No I don't!" At this, she finally surrendered. Whatever crazy fantasy held this maniac, she resolved not to be swept up in it too. "Look, I don't care what you do to me; I'm going to tell you flat. I don't know what you're talking about; you and I are definitely not dating, the Kent's were killed in a car accident…"

"I know!" At this, he practically leapt across the couch, grabbing her by the arms, a look of frantic desperation etched into every inch of his face. "I saw it. You were in the car with them. I saw you all die! How are you still alive?"

"What… but… how did you…?" Laurie became frozen at the memory; her volume fell to a soft whisper. "The Kent's were killed in the accident. I was… pretty badly beat up but I lived. I didn't want to stay in Smallvile, the memories and all, so I moved to Metropolis."

"No, you died. I saw it. Then I… I changed it." Superboy Prime's mind flashed back to the Crystal Paradise. His fists slamming against the barriers of the dimension as he frantically tried to escape. Over and over again he tried. Each time, he watched enormous eruptions of energy from each of the shattered crystal mirrors reverberate across their dimension. And as he did, Alex showed him things. Things changing from the force of his blows. "I did it. I saved you."

"What?" She starred at him, confused again, before dismissing his mad ramblings. "Look, I don't know how you know all this but please, just take whatever you want from me and leave me alone." Laurie pleaded, desperate for all of this to end.

"Your favorite color is blue." He insisted frantically. "You love the water; your parents thought you should have been born with flippers because of how much you liked to swim when you were little. You always wanted to be a writer. You hate dolls. When you were growing up, you refused to play with the other girls because that's all they wanted to play. Your favorite food is pizza even though you hate cheese. Even after you learned to drive, you still liked to ride your bike just about everywhere."

"Stop it, stop it!" She pleaded as memories of a happier time in her life, a time that she desperately longed to be able to relive flashed before her mind's eye, all brought to light by this complete stranger. "How do you know everything about me?"

"Because I know you. And you know me." Superboy Prime insisted, meeting her frightened eyes with his own even as he took her palms in his, offering her warmth and friendship and love, things she hadn't felt in ages. "Believe me."

"Why? Why can't I remember it then?" She insisted. None of what he was saying made any sense, yet so much of it seemed… real. It felt right. Against every bit of rational sense in her mind, it felt right. And it scared her to no end that it could actually be right.

"I don't know. Superman was able to make Power Girl remember. I know I can make you remember too. I just…" And just like that, inspiration flashed before Superboy Prime's eyes. "I need the crystals."

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"And the emergency crews are almost ninety percent complete with their searches." The Martian Manhunter's voice reported calmly and clearly over the screen. "They should be finished before sunset."

"Still leaves us with the bigger problem." Batman stated frankly from within the Watchtower's main control room. "Where ever he is, he's not showing up on sensors."

"Aren't you concerned about Superman?" The Martian inquired sharply at this.

"Superman can take care of himself." Batman stated plainly. "I've already asked the Lanterns to alert the rest of the Corps. Right now, we have bigger things to worry about. Like figuring out why the Watchtower's sensors never detected his approach to Earth in the first place. We need to know when he comes back."

"You can't know for sure he will return to Earth. He could be anywhere in the universe by now." The Martian countered.

"Except that this isn't his universe." Batman replied. "There's only one place in this universe that must feel even remotely like home to him. Sooner or later, he'll come back here."

"And then what?"

Batman's expression could be seen to visibly grim at the question. "Keep at it on your end. I'll see what I can come up with. Batman out."

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Hope beat against the inside of Superboy Prime's chest as he tore across the globe. Only one thought, one purpose drove him now.

The Antarctic. That was where the answer lay.

Superboy Prime had revisited the occasion a hundred times already. Alex rebuilding Superman's fortress there. Superman bringing Power Girl there to meet them. To meet Lois. Lois' touch had somehow brought back Power Girl's memory, but there was more to it than that.

Alex had explained it to him once. The crystals. They were a part of that Paradise Dimension that Alex had trapped them all in. But because it had been built before the collapse of the multiverse, the crystals still 'remembered' the multiverse and everything that had happened in it. Alex described it as being akin to echoes caught on tape. It was the reason why they could look out from within that dimension and see images of universes that never existed.

It had also been a crucial part of Alex's plan. Although certainly not one of the more difficult aspects's of his master plan to arrange, Alex had insisted that their tower needed to be built, completely surrounded by the crystals from the paradise dimension. In order to restore the multiverse, the tower had to be able to draw upon those 'echoes' to rebuild those countless other Earths.

Superboy Prime had had very little patience for Alex's long winded explanations and stupid theories. He had always been so obsessed with finding the 'perfect Earth.' He could never appreciate that the perfect Earth had been right in front of him the whole time. Earth Prime was perfect. It didn't have super villains or heroes that were just as bad. It only had him. He was the only hero that his world needed.

_There._ That had been it. The rubble had all been cleared away, and there was no trace left of the fortress that had once stood there, but Superboy Prime recognized the location instantly.

As Superboy Prime arrived, touching down on the frozen ground, he immediately began searching with his x-ray vision. He knew the crystals had been able to block out Superman's senses, so as to keep him from learning of Alex's plans, but that wouldn't stop Prime now.

When his x-ray vision showed nothing, he had to rely on another power instead. Low level heat vision melted the ice and snow all around him as he frantically searched for them. There were no beams. Instead his eyes merely glowed, heating everything around him, even the ice beneath his feet.

The League had been here. Those stupid heroes. So awful. They always ruined everything. They had taken everything. Collected it all. But they couldn't have had any easier time finding all the crystal fragments than he was having. They had to have missed at least one. Just one. That was all he would need.

Superboy Prime began to wade deep into a rising pool of water, yet still he searched. He couldn't fail now. Not now. Not when he was so close. He'd melt the entire frozen pole if necessary. Nothing would deny him. Not when she… _wait. There._

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Superman continued to hang within the void of space, drifting lifelessly alongside glowing chunks of kryptonite, millions of light years away from anything.

Then, a life saving emerald glow slowly surrounded Superman, engulfing him like a second skin and pulling him away from the lethal chunks of his own home world. Brought upright respectively, a small bolt passed through the emerald beam, causing his chest to jump out.

Another. And another. The CPR continued until finally Superman's eyes opened wide, his lungs gasping for air.

"Lois… where…"

"Relax Superman. You're safe now." A friendly voice assured through the void of space.

"Kyle?"

"Yeah." Ion looked off into the cosmos, satisfied that Superman would be alright. "Hal sent out the warning to the entire Corps. I was literally on the other side of the universe when I got the call. I suppose I don't need to ask what you're doing out here."

"He's loose Kyle. He came straight to Earth and then brought me here. I don't know how long I've been out. He could be anywhere."

"Bats seems to think that he'll head straight back to Earth. He's probably right."

"He usually is about these things. The question is what does Prime want now?"

"Well, I know you're not going to like me for saying this, but what would you do if you were in his place?"

Superman let out a long sigh at the question. He knew Kyle was simply trying to be helpful during a crisis that could, and likely would, have repercussions for the entire universe.

The truth was that he had asked himself that question many times before. And each time, he had yet to come up with an answer that he could find comfort in.

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Laurie continued to slam her shoulders against the fused shut door. She couldn't risk calling for help, afraid of what fate might await anyone kind enough to lend her a hand if he returned. And so, she was once again left to fend for herself.

She was startled aback as the one window in the apartment suddenly forced its way open. Its heat vision sealed hinges gave way to the now unfortunately familiar young man. She could see him clutching something tucked in his right armpit and felt her back pressing frantically against the door as he walked towards her.

Superboy Prime could see the look of panic in her face and still felt stick to his stomach at the sight of it. He hurriedly revealed the object he'd been cradling.

The crystal had been half the size of a penny when he'd found it. Just a tiny sparkle in the melting waters of the Antarctic. But once Superboy Prime had held it in his hands, he'd only had to think and it had increased in size to his will.

The large chunk he now held in his hands was at least the size of his head and it caught Laurie's breath at the sight of it.

"What's that for?" She gulped at the question.

"Just come here and hold it." He was a second away from pleading with her. "Please. After that, I'll go if you want me to. I promise."

"Really?"

"Yes." He swore desperately.

Laurie took a long minute to stare before finally taking several cautious footsteps towards him. He held up the crystal chunk in both his hands, holding it out, offering to her. She looked at it and then back at him, unconsciously licking her lips nervously as her hands slowly reached out to grab it from him.

The second her fingers came into contact, her head flew back, her eyes rolling into the back of their lids. As suddenly as it overtook her, it soon passed and she let out an enormous breath as her head came back down.

"Laurie?" He asked, hesitantly.

"You…" she breathed deeply as she looked back up at him. "You're name is Clark Kent. You always wanted to go into space. Your favorite sport is baseball. Your favorite food is your mother's spaghetti. On our first date, we stood on my front porch for nearly ten minutes while you tried to decide whether or not to kiss me."

Every last one of Superboy Prime's defenses shattered. His heart leapt into his throat, which was dry as a desert. The crystal shuddered and shook in his trembling palms before absently falling to the floor. The thud of its impact was ignored by both as Laurie took another long step towards him.

Her hand caused a wave of pure bliss to pass over him as it rubbed against his cheek. An ache so old that he had forgotten what its absence felt like was suddenly swept away at her touch as he brought his hand up to hers.

He froze completely as her lips pressed against his. He remained solid as a statue, leaving Laurie to kiss away the stiffness in his lips. When it finally passed, he kissed her with the same passion.

At first, he almost swallowed her lips entirely, nearly causing her to back away. Instead, she remained steadfast with the patience of a practiced saint, her lips slowly guiding his. The awkwardness of the kiss soon passed and the two remained lip locked, accepting each other as if it had been eons since they had held one another.

" Clark…" She pressed him down on to the mattress. He fell over as if weightless, letting out a slightly startled yelp as he landed squarely on his back. She knelt down atop him, as her hands reached for the bottom of her shirt.

He felt his throat go completely dry as she lifted her worn top up and over her head. Her brown hair fell to the sides of her face behind it as he looked up at her in a plain bra.

"I…" He had never felt so afraid in his life. All he could hear was the sound of his heart thundering and his panting breath signaling that he was ready to hyperventilate. "I've never…"

She merely shushed him with a finger to his lips, leaning in and planting a passionate kiss before pulling back and removing the jacket he still wore. "It's ok. I'll show you." And with that, she leaned in as the two fell back onto the mattress.


	4. Moment of Destiny

_Author's Note: Wow. Well I know it's been a while since I updated, but let me tell you, I think it was worth it. I know this chapter is by far the longest I have ever published. This story has really taken on a life of it's own, so much so that I went back and edited and added a bit to some of the previous chapters. _

_Thanks so much to all those who have read and reviewed. As always, write a review and get a response. And enjoy._

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_The crickets chirped off in the night as a soft wind rustled the leaves in the maple tree of the Lemmon's front yard. _

_Apart from that, there was absolute silence. Complete, maddening silence. _

_Clark Kent starred down at his shoes for the fifth time in as many seconds, making sure that the double knots had not untied themselves since the last time he had checked them before again looking back up. _

_Not two feet from where he stood, Laurie looked back at him with the same unsure expression on her face. _

_"I… had a really great time tonight." Laurie insisted as she mirrored the uneasy smile across Clark's face. _

_"Oh yeah. Me too." An almost poetical observation about the way Laurie's hair so beautifully hung from the sides of her face almost escaped from Clark's shaking lips. Instead he asked "So, did you hear that they're changing the lunch menus at school?" _

_"Oh." A disappointed pang echoed in Laurie's voice. "No. I didn't." _

_"Yeah" Clark chuckled nervously as his trembling fingers ran through his hair, all the while his mind raced for something else to talk about. "They're not serving hamburgers anymore." _

_"That's, that's too bad." Laurie's lips nervously pressed against each other as her fingers continued to tug and fiddle with one another. _

_"Yeah." _

_The crickets were the only thing to fill in the silence for another thirty seconds as Clark and Laurie's eyes occasionally stole split second glances from one another before turning off to the side. _

_"So, uhmm, did you have a good time?" Clark asked uneasily. "I mean tonight and all." _

_"Yeah." Laurie replied, her heart settling into an uneasy, disappointed beat. "Tonight was nice." _

_"Good." Clark forced a smile. "Good." He allowed a soft breeze to distract him for a few seconds longer. "So, uhmm…" _

_Clark was cut off from his next awkward comment as Laurie leaned in, her perfect full lips reaching out for his, planting a soft gentle kiss upon his. _

_The sweet sensation lingered on Clark's lips well after it was over as Clark starred back at Laurie with widened eyes of astonishment. _

_Whether feeling emboldened by this kiss or simply delirious with fear to the point where he was no longer in control of his actions, Clark leaned back in, hoping for a second. He was rewarded for his efforts with another, much longer, much deeper kiss. Their eyes fell closed as their lips locked with one another, savoring the soft feel of each other. Both let out a deep breath through their noses as they finally pulled apart from each other. _

_"I'll see you tomorrow Clark." Laurie flashed a smile that would have melted Clark to goo as she opened her front door and walked inside. _

_Clark__ merely stood befuddled with shock and awe for several seconds longer before finally calling back softly "Ok. Sure." _

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Silence.

The sound of emergency vehicles still echoed off in the distance, but within the one bedroom apartment, nothing but silence.

Laurie lay with her head resting peacefully against Superboy Prime's chest. She was the picture of serenity and contentment as her hand continued to rub absently up and down his torso, smiling blissfully the entire time, her eyes resting shut.

In contrast, Superboy Prime's eyes were wide as saucers. He absent mindedly rubbed her hair as he continued to try and put the countless thoughts racing through his mind into words. He had been across the universe and back a thousand times, witnessed stars being born and die, but that… being with Laurie… words couldn't even begin to describe it. In the end, all he could muster was "Wow. I… I've never…"

"I know. You told me." Laurie assured in a soft whisper. "It's fine."

"That was… that was…"

"I'm glad you liked it." She smiled widely as she snuggled further into his chest.

"Was… did I…?"

"You were fine." She assured. As the two lay together, her fingers began to trace the 'S' symbol on his chest. She hesitated at first as she came to it before finally asking " Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"Did…" she paused as her fingers began to tremble over the symbol's outline of scarred over flesh. "Did you do that?"

For the first time since carving it, Superboy Prime looked down on the engraved emblem as if it might be better concealed. "Yes."

Laurie sensed the unease in his voice, but decided to press on. "Why? What happened?"

For a moment, Clark paused to carefully consider the question. It was the first time he'd ever really bothered to think on the matter. "After our Earth was destroyed… I had nothing. I was nobody. I didn't even exist. This Earth already had a Clark Kent. He had family, friends. I didn't. I could never be Clark Kent again. I was nothing."

A lump caught in Laurie's throat as she thought carefully on Clark's words, only trying to imagine what that must have felt like. He paused, obviously having a hard time with it, and she decided to remain carefully still in his arms until he was ready to start again.

"This Earth also had a Superman, but I could still be him." Superboy Prime continued, a determined resolve slowly filling his voice. "I could still take his place one day. It was the only thing I had left, the only thing I could still be on a world where I wasn't supposed to exist. When the Superman on this Earth tore my costume, he said I could never be Superman. But if I couldn't, then I was back to being nothing. If I can't be Superman, then what else am I but a boy that doesn't exist?"

As much as she longed to stay wrapped in his arms, Laurie felt she had to risk pulling away from him for a second. Rising up gently from within his grasp and bringing herself to stare deeply into his comforting blue eyes. "You do exist Clark. It doesn't matter what this messed up universe says or thinks; you're alive. You're real. And I love you."

Once again, Clark felt himself at an absolute and total loss for words. Fortunately he expressed himself through action far better anyway. Tears fell down his face as he brought his trembling hands to her cheek, gentling pulling her face to his as he deeply kissed her yet again.

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"She's got a single stab wound."

"How bad is it?" The doctor asked as he came up alongside the cart being wheeled into the hospital. He only had seconds to spare between the flood of patients to determine the seriousness of this case.

"Not too deep, but she's lost a lot of blood." The nurse immediately replied. "The paramedics took over two hours to get to her."

"We're going to need to transfuse."

"Doctor, the blood banks are practically dry. We've had to transfuse over a hundred gallons in the last half hour alone and at least another seventy patients are in line for another hundred more."

"Alright, let's at least get her wounds stitched and run an IV. Do we have a name?"

The nurse looked to the woman's purse. "Her ID says her name is Lois Lane Kent."

"Oh, a celebrity." The doctor admired passively. "Alright, let's hurry people; we've got a lot of other people waiting."

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"So, what the heck is this thing anyway?" Laurie finally had to ask, dressed solely in her only remaining clean t-shirt as she held up the large chunk of crystal Superboy Prime had brought back. "One minute I was touching it, and the next, I saw this whole other life I never lived."

"It's all that's left of the multiverse, I guess." Superboy Prime had to admit he wasn't sure what description might better help Laurie appreciate it. In truth, he wasn't entirely sure himself. He just lay in bed, covered over by the only blanket in the apartment as he watched her examining its pristine features. "It's a part of that Crystal dimension I lived in that I was telling you about."

"Wow." Laurie felt absolutely foolish as she spoke, but she didn't know what else to say. She just continued to eye it intently, as if anticipating what other secrets it might share with her. "So, how long were you in that place anyway?"

"I…I don't know." Superboy Prime lay back in bed, thoughtful. "There was no time there. I didn't age. None of us did. We just stayed exactly the same, always. If we wanted something to happen, it did. If we wanted to see something, the crystals of the dimension showed it to us."

Laurie was about to speak, but then remained silent as she gave some serious thought to the notion. She spent several long minutes contemplating such an existence before deciding aloud "It sounds horrible."

"It was." Superboy Prime's voice grew slightly more distant, more cold, at the memories. "All we could do there was look back at the lives we had lost and out at a universe that had forgotten us."

Laurie felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She tried to picture it, tried to imagine him looking in as if through a window on his own life.

And sure enough, she did.

The crystal chunk in her hand flashed new images for her inspection. She saw Superboy Prime sitting cross legged on a clear surface as crystal mirrors showed him images of his own birthday. She watched him revisit that first kiss on the cheek over and over again, and felt her throat ache and her heart pound. She stared at it even as he rose up from the mattress and walked unabashedly toward where she sat, sitting behind her, his arms gently wrapping around her with utter tenderness.

The crystals beneath his skin were all but completely sapping his charge now. He was as powerful as a normal human. He wouldn't allow a moment of lost control to harm her. His hand came over her shoulder as his chin came to rest on her spare shoulder while he whispered tenderly to her "I was wrong."

"About what?" she asked hoarsely, before struggling to control herself.

"Being Superman wasn't the only thing I had. Even in that place, I still had you." He confessed to her softly. "You were the only thing that kept me sane. And when I thought I'd lost you…"

Her sobs cut him off. She looked over to him, tear soaked eyes meeting his own. He didn't say anything else. Instead, her hand came gently to her chin as he pulled her closer for a deep, loving kiss.

"Mmm, mo-k." Laurie spoke over the kiss as she pulled back. "I really hate to spoil this romantic moment," she flushed as she confessed "but you really need a shower."

Superboy Prime stared at her for a moment, almost in disbelief.

His astonished expression cracked in laughter as he fell back. Tears fell from his eyes as he bawled over in hysterics. His laughter eventually reached Laurie's face as she had to ask, "What? What is so funny?"

"Nothing." He smiled, before laughing again at the thought. "It's just, if you want to get technical about it, I've never even taken a shower. Ever."

He redoubled in laughter at the thought, and Laurie couldn't help but to cackle at the idea.

"Well in that case, I'm not kissing you again until you do." Laurie laughed even as she wore a thoroughly grossed out expression on her face.

"Oh come on." Superboy Prime teased as he drew back to her, making an obscene smooching motion with his lips. "Who wants to kiss Superman?"

"No." Laurie cried out in a mixture of delight and disgust as she back away.

"Pucker up!"

"No!" Laurie laughed as she jumped to her fleet while Superboy Prime chased her around her apartment.

"You do realize that you're trying to run from someone…" Clark disappeared in a burst only to reappear, having scooped up Laurie into his arms "with super speed."

"Show off." She smiled at him within his arms, when suddenly her face lit with inspiration. "Oh my god, I just realized. You're Clark Kent and you were named after…" Her breath caught in her throat at the implications. "So this means that Superman really is…"

"Yes." Prime answered simply, not bothering to explain that the Clark Kent of this universe was no more. It was an issue he wasn't ready to bring up with her, not yet.

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Batman reviewed sensor log after sensor log. It didn't matter how many times he went over the readouts, he'd do it again until he found his answers.

Superboy Prime had come to Earth once already, and somehow, had managed to accomplish this without triggering even a single of the Watch Tower's sensors. The answer had to be in the crystals that he had used to escape. He knew that the Lanterns would never be so careless as to lock up a prisoner without bothering to scan for sub-dermal implants or devices. Such a scan was standard procedure even on Earth, at least for its meta-human inmates.

Batman grimaced at the thought. Somewhere out there was a super being with power to destroy an entire world without effort, and the League had absolutely no way to find him.

This troubled brooding was interrupted by an emerald flare within the Watch Tower's monitor room. Batman never even bothered to turn away from his readouts. "You're late Kyle."

"Sorry." Ion acknowledged with a sigh. "Had to stop along the way to pick up a friend."

Even the Dark Knight could not resist the urge to turn around. Sure enough, standing side by side with Ion was an all too familiar Man of Steel.

Neither Batman nor Superman said anything even as the masked vigilante rose up from his seat, walking up to Superman so that the two legends stood face to face.

Batman spoke first. "We have work to do." And with that, walked right past Ion and Superman over to another console.

Ion and Superman just looked to one another, clearly unsurprised by their teammate's reaction.

"That was very moving."

"I almost teared up myself." Superman confessed dryly.

"Most of the League has almost finished helping with the clean up in Metropolis. I've been scanning the entire planet since his initial attack for any signs of him. We've discussed alerting authorities, but at this point, that's more likely to get more people killed." Batman explained, clearly ignoring the two's banter as he walked over to a nearby work station. Working at the controls, Batman was able to draw an image of the globe. "An hour and forty two minutes after you disappeared the Watch Tower's sensors detected an enormous heat bloom at the following coordinates."

"The Antarctic." Ion concluded aloud.

"That's the exact location of his fortress." Superman noted before turning to Batman. "I'm assuming you didn't find anything there."

"I asked the JSA to check, but they came up empty."

"So he is here then." Ion tried not to sound too much like he was stating the obvious. "On Earth."

"The question is what does he want?" Superman looked to the Dark Knight for answers. "I'm assuming you have a theory."

Batman's usual scowl could be seen to actually deepen, a feat which Kyle always swore was impossible no matter how many times he was proven wrong, as he answered with obvious discomfort "No."

Though both were well immune to such conditions under normal circumstances, both Superman and Ion could swear that the temperature in the room dropped sharply at this.

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Warm water beat and pulsed over every inch of Clark Kent's body as he rubbed himself down with what felt like his fourth bar of soap. Laurie had gone out to pick up some supplies for the two, leaving him to bathe away his aches and pains.

All his time in that accursed heaven didn't compare to even five minutes under the hot water of a good shower. Even after he had scrubbed and scrubbed himself down, he still remained immersed in the heavenly sensation of running water.

When he finally, finally decided to shut off the water, he took his time to dry himself with Laurie's only towel, which often doubled as a spare blanket as he was given to understand.

He finished combing his long hair back when he heard the door open. A quick peak with his x-ray vision reassured him as he walked out into the main room.

Laurie struggled with her arms full of plastic grocery bags filled with canned food and several other items, including some clean clothes she had gotten for both of them.

She was a split second from setting them down on the kitchen counter when a set of hands appeared at her side in a burst of super speed, startling her and almost causing her to drop her precious cargo.

"Hey." He whispered into her ear as he reached around her, setting the bags on the counter before bringing her chin up and his lips to her.

"Mmm, mhello." Laurie managed to let slip past the kiss as she pulled back from the embrace a spare inch. "You know that whole 'faster than a speeding bullet' thing is not as charming as you think it is."

"You kidding? I'm not the one who speed shops." Clark admitted, clearly impressed by her haul as he eyed the different bags.

"Excuse me?"

"Well I mean look." He indicated to the bags. "All this and in just half an hour. That's got to be a record."

"Why do you think…?" Laurie looked at him uncertainly for a minute before finally noting his undressed state, covered only by her towel wrapped around his waist. "Have you been in the shower this whole time?"

"Yeah." Clark said obviously. "Why?"

" Clark, I've been gone for at least three hours."

Superboy Prime's eyes went wide in disbelief before suddenly noting the time indicated on her wrist watch.

"Wow." He couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "Oh wow, I didn't even… I mean wow." He looked completely flabbergasted as he stared back at her. "I guess, when you haven't showered in ages, time really flies."

"Ages?" She asked even as she looked at him with disbelief and just a hint of disgust in her features.

"I told you, I don't know how long I was in that place."

"Oh great." She just rolled her eyes at his apparent thoughtlessness. "You probably just used up all the hot water in the entire building."

With that, he couldn't help but to let out another wide grin at her.

"What?" She asked as she stared at him in confusion for several long seconds before asking again. "What?"

In a burst of speed, he was once again gone. Laurie quickly ran for the door in the vain hopes of catching him only to watch him reappear back inside the room.

"There." He said smugly. "Plenty of hot water now."

She just looked at him with her jaw dropped in disbelief. "No way."

Clark just shrugged nonchalantly as he made his way over to the bathroom. Turning the moldy shower knob brought a downpour of steaming hot water for Laurie's inspection as Clark ran his hand under to test it. "See? Steaming hot and waiting."

Laurie couldn't help a wry smile as she looked at her boyfriend in utter disbelief.

Boyfriend. The word caught itself across her mind. Yesterday, he hadn't even existed. Today, he was the best thing in her life. It all seemed like something out of a fairy tale. A strong, handsome knight in shining armor to save the damsel in distress. Or an angel dropped from heaven to rescue her from hell. Every time he looked at her, she felt like the center of the world, as if she were dancing on clouds. She caught him beckoning her invitingly towards the shower and could not help but feel wonderful all over.

"What are you doing?" He asked with an edge of anxiousness in his voice as she casually pulled her shirt over her head.

"Taking my clothes off." She stated obviously as she leaned over to remove her shoes and socks. "You ever take a shower with your clothes on?"

"N-no." He stuttered, still unsure of himself or her as she pulled down her jeans right in front of him. "But… then why…?"

She cut him off as she pressed him into the wall, kissing him as she guided him into the bathroom, locking the door behind them both.

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"Can someone remind me again why we're doing this?" Wonder Girl asked as she flew over head.

"We're looking for any survivors left behind." Robin reminded angrily.

"That's not what I'm asking." Wonder Girl eyed Robin angrily. "The Justice Society got called on a possible lead; even the Doom Patrol got recalled. But not us. Batman himself has to have us on clean up duty."

"What we're doing could save lives." Robin insisted even as his own scowl deepened. "And I'd like to see you be the one to tell Batman we have something better."

"You know what she is talking about." Ravager pointed out as she walked over another mountain of rubble. "We're being kept busy. We're being kept out of the way."

"It's not as simple as that." Supergirl tried to interject. "And it's not as if we have anything better to do."

"I can think of a few things." Wonder Girl clenched her fists at the thought.

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Metropolis is a city that has had to endure much over the years. Alien invasions are practically an accepted bi-annual event and at least every other week, some super villain comes to town for whatever reason. They battle Superman, sometimes the entire Justice League, get arrested, a lot of stuff gets broken in the process, and life goes on.

Metropolitans try not to let such things get them down. In fact, the city has been tried and tested by these occurrences like no other in the world.

Most stores and shops quickly went into overtime to handle the flood of customers trying to shop themselves out of the shock of the unspecified 'attack' on their city earlier. Such was the way of life in Metropolis. For many, the best way to get over a super villain attack was to simply hit the stores like nothing was out of the ordinary. Store owners had discovered a long time ago that, to stay open in the wake of and immediately following such an attack was huge business. Presuming it didn't sustain significant structural damage, a store could expect to triple their numbers immediately following such an occasion.

"Here, try this one." Laurie called out as she tossed Clark yet another shirt from the sales rack. Clark, for all the speed to travel across the universe and back before lunch, fumbled with it as he tried to balance it with the half a dozen or so other shirts in hand. "You know, I should have been a fashion designer." She declared aloud as she continued to search through the collection.

"Really?" Clark tried to peak over the mound of clothing in his hands. "What happened to being a writer?"

"I can do both. You may be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but if there is one thing I know, it's how to look good." She insisted as she continued to scan through the clothing displays. She had managed to find only a very basic pair of slacks and a shirt for him to go out in, having finally convinced him to discard those absolutely disgusting slacks she had seen him dressed in earlier.

"Laurie, I can't possibly need all these clothes." Clark insisted desperately as she continued to shop.

"Yes. You can." She stated with playful forcefulness as she walked over to him, dropping another shirt in his grip and kissing him lightly on the nose, smiling. "And you do."

"It's been so long since I've worn anything other than my costume."

"I know, I know." She dismissed with a playful mock as she returned to her search. "Trapped in a dimension for eternity. I swear, if every man that used that excuse got away with it, there wouldn't be a one fit to go out in public."

"I'm just saying," he added with a sigh as he looked at some of the shirts she'd selected for him "I don't feel right in anything else."

"Try them." Laurie looked back at him resolutely. "I'll keep looking."

Clark let out another sigh as he stepped into the changing room. Not five minutes later, a time that Laurie couldn't help but notice was almost tortoise like for someone who was more than eager to flaunt his ability to move faster than the naked eye could follow, he stepped back out, dressed in tight khaki pants, a casual blue shirt that brought out his eyes as Laurie had known it would, and a fresh new leather jacket.

"This is not me." He insisted desperately.

"Oh yes it is." She insisted back, clearly impressed with her own work.

He was about to respond when the front door burst open. Customer and clerk alike turned to see a group of men, all in military uniform walk in. The man in the lead was the first to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I please have your attention." He spoke clearly and forcefully. "My name is Sergeant Grant; I'm with the State National Guard. We've just been informed of a possible meta-human threat in the vicinity, I need everyone to evacuate the store immediately and come with us to a designated safe area until such time as the threat has passed."

Superboy Prime eyed the sergeant intently, expecting him and his men to immediately try and isolate him in some way. However, as more men poured into the store, issuing people out in a calm orderly fashion with no apparent concern for him over anyone else, he began to wonder.

" Clark, what should we do?" Laurie turned over to her boyfriend, but Clark seemed not to hear her. Instead, his hearing was focused on sounds far off in the distance. Sounds of battle.

Laurie could not help but notice the almost trance like manner that held her boyfriend and had to ask once more " Clark, is something wrroo…."

Laurie felt her breath escape her as she felt herself lifted up and carried out of the store at incredible speeds. She couldn't appreciate what had happened until a split second later. She and Clark were now standing in an alleyway right outside the department store. She lay in his arms with their clothes still in hand as he seemed to look off, distractedly.

" Clark…" Laurie gasped as she tried to catch her breath. "A little… warning next time."

"Laurie, Amazo is downtown right now." Superboy Prime seemed to stare off in the direction of a brick wall. "I can hear the explosions. The screaming. He's heading in this direction. That's what the soldiers were worried about. I need to get you somewhere safe."

Laurie's breath became caught with concern. Though she didn't have the first clue who this 'Amazingo' was, the look on Clark's face told her he was probably not to be taken lightly. "Well, the Justice League; Superman and all of those guys. They'll stop him won't they?"

"The League are weak." Superboy Prime could barely restrain his resentment, even in front of Laurie. "They are as bad as the villains they are supposed to stop. And Amazo has all their powers. They can't stop him."

"But you can, right?"

For the first time, Superboy Prime paused, genuinely surprised. He looked over to see her gazing at him expectantly.

"What?"

"You can stop him, can't you?" She asked again. "You're Superboy after all. Isn't this what you do? You know, fight the bad guys."

Superboy Prime found himself absolutely speechless. It had never occurred to him to even bother. Yet as he listened to her words, he could find no fault in her logic.

He was a hero. A better one than the ones around here. And this was his chance to prove it. To show the world what real heroes did.

"You're right." At first, the words came as a low whisper, but they slowly found strength. "This is what I do." Clark's next words came out much more boldly as he stated with absolute certainty "This is what I was born to do."

Superboy Prime turned to fly up when Laurie's hand upon his shoulder brought him to a stop.

"Hold it! You can't fight in those; we didn't even pay for them yet." Laurie indicated to the clothes Clark now wore. "Besides, what kind of super hero goes out fighting in khakis and a leather jacket?"

Superboy Prime almost uttered a name in a guttural voice, but he refused to even let the words 'Conner Kent' spit from his lips. Fortunately, Laurie cut him off as she reached into one of the bags that she had with her. Superboy Prime's eyes went wide as she revealed a familiar blue and red costume for him.

Laurie blushed as Clark looked at the outfit in pure astonishment, taking it from her and holding it up for his undivided attention. "I saw it in a costume store that was practically giving it away. I couldn't pass it up."

"Laurie…" Clark appeared almost mesmerized by the costume, taking special care as he fawned over the 'S' emblem in the center "this is first grade fibers. Top of the line. There is no way they'd give this away."

She just shrugged. "Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating about the sale. Still, there was no way you were ever going to wear those rags you were in yesterday. And really, what is Superboy without a costume."

Clark wore the look of a child unwrapping his first Christmas present ever. For a long moment, Laurie wondered if he'd ever even bother to say 'thank you.' This concern vanished promptly as Clark, still clutching almost protectively at the costume, leaned in and planted a deep, passionate kiss.

So caught up was Laurie in the moment that, by the time her eyes opened, she saw that he had already changed into the costume. He paused another long moment to examine himself in it. It was a perfect fit. He rubbed his hand over the material.

"Now this looks like a job for Superboy." She couldn't resist, she'd had to say it.

"Yes." Superboy Prime nodded, as if still in his trance as the idea repeated itself over and over in his head. "Yes. This looks like a job for Superboy." And with that, he flew into the air.

"Wait!" Laurie called as she chased after him. "Where are you going?"

"Stay here!" He cried out. "Amazo is only a few blocks away. I'll come back for you when I'm done." And with that, he was gone.

Laurie's face drew back for a second in disbelief. "Stay here? Yeah right. Like I'm going to miss this."

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Amazo was not one for subtlety. Then again, when one possesses the combined powers of the Justice League, subtlety is rarely required.

A while back the Justice League had an encountered a version of Amazo programmed with the ability to duplicate the powers of the standing roster of the Justice League regardless of whether or not that roster was expanded. This meant that for any and every Justice League member that arose to challenge him, Amazo could instantly duplicate their power as well as the powers of the entire team. Thus, the more Leaguers that arose to challenge him, the more powerful he became.

However, Dr. Ivo left a critical design flaw in this android, one which allowed the Justice League to defeat this unstoppable powerhouse simply by formally disbanding the entire League, even if only for a few seconds, thus causing him to lose all his powers.

Dr. Ivo would spend months kicking himself in the head for this engineering oversight and would make well sure not to include such an easily exploitable weakness in any of his further prototypes.

This latest Amazo was a product of that hard learned lesson.

Pre-programmed with the powers of a dozen Leaguers, Amazo was a one man army. The National Guard and army reserves already deployed to Metropolis to help with the clean-up and now charged with the task of halting his destruction were doing little to affect Amazo except add to the extent of his rampage.

"Humans." Amazo spit with contempt as his heat vision seared through three missiles fired directly at him. The explosions rocked the sky as a second blast hit the attack helicopters that had fired them. A shot of crimson energy cut the propellers of the helicopters clean off, leaving the pilots no other choice but to eject for safety. "Weak. Pathetic."

Amazo calculated how long it would take him to evade these insignificant humans. With the speed of the Flash, he could be in another country in no time. But to flee would imply fear. And Amazo had to nothing fear from anything.

On the ground, a division of tanks and soldiers moved into position, even as more soldiers continued to try and direct the civilians still on the streets out of harms way.

Amazo's telepathy detected the thoughts of several GIs as they hurried moved into position on three different rooftops, hastily setting up specialized cannons capable of blasting through twenty inches of reinforced steel like butter.

Amazo had to pause to consider. They were two hundred and seventy two different ways he could dispose of these nuisances; at least seventy of which would probably result in the collateral destruction of several additional city blocks, and four of which would doubtlessly result in the destruction of the entire city.

"So many choices. So few humans to try them all on." Amazo extended his arms outward at a perfect ninety degree angle and began spinning in a counter clockwise direction at speeds that broke the sound barrier. In no time at all, Amazo had created a thick, powerful vortex of wind which tore away at the siding of the buildings all around him, shaking them to their very foundation.

The soldiers at their cannons however never even lost their balance before being sucked up by the super winds and hurled up into the air, sucked into the center of the vortex, and then spat back out.

One of which, a Private Leman, uttered a silent prayer for his wife and unborn child as he watched the concrete of the street below race up toward him. And race. And race. And… stop?

Leman nearly lost his lunch as he lurched and then stopped, dangling a mere five feet from the Metropolis street.

Looking up, the scared witless private saw himself, as well as his comrades from the rooftops, all apparently alive, well and safe within the grasp of a somewhat lanky looking young man.

"You men looked like you could use a hand." The boy seemed to smirk at the comment as he lowered them to the ground. The soldiers in uniform took a moment to gather and dust themselves off even as a crowd caught their attention.

Soldier and civilian alike looked at the confident young man, his face set in stone and unreadable, donning the world famous blue and red costume complete with the trademarked cape and insignia.

"Uh… t-thanks…" the Private gulped and stuttered "Superboy."

The crowd began to huddle and whisper among themselves. "That's not Superboy, the costume's different." "Well who else wears capes and tights like that?" "I thought Superboy was dead." "Anyone who can do that is Superboy in my book."

"I am Superboy." Superboy Prime called out to the crowd. He looked to their expectant, anxious faces. And he felt true fear. They looked to him to protect them. He could see it in an instant. He took a gulp. This was it. He had adopted for himself the job of Earth's protector and now was his chance to prove it. He was about to step onto the stage of history. He…

"Look out."

The cry came too little too late as an emerald blast struck at Superboy Prime's side, knocking him aside rather than hurting him, hurling him through the side of a nearby warehouse.

A collective 'Oooh' arose from the crowd even as a tall brunette wearing a sea blue sweater and jeans tried to push her way through the crowd for a better view of the action.

Superboy Prime coughed as he rubbed the dust and debris off of himself. "Guess the stage of the world has a tough crowd." His amusing quip went unheard and unappreciated as Superboy Prime looked up to find the perpetrator of the cowardly shot to the back.

Amazo stood erect and confident, hovering ten meters into the air, staring down at Superboy Prime.

"Organic. Durable, but still weak. All organics are."

Superboy Prime merely snarled as he brought himself up right. "You're going to pay for that."

For only a second, the two of them stared each other down to see who would blink first.

Superboy Prime gave first, launching himself like a living rocket at Amazo. Faster than anyone could see, his seemingly frail looking fist crashed against Amazo's chin, unleashing a shock wave that shattered glass all around the two combatants. The crowd below ducked for cover, all except one.

"Be careful Clark." Laurie whispered under her breath.

Stunned by the attack, Amazo was helpless as three more super strong, super fast fists dug themselves into his hide, one after another after another. Even with divine armor and an invulnerable hide, the android felt his internals crush beneath the sheer power of the blows.

Pressing his advantage, Superboy Prime raised his hands together over Amazo and brought them smashing down, knocking Amazo straight into the concrete below with a thunderous crash.

Superboy Prime remained otherwise motionless as he hovered above the impact crater, glaring down expectantly with his arms crossed.

Amazo's body became malleable and goo like as he extended upward, completely wrapping himself around Superboy Prime's body. Encasing him completely, Amazo constricted himself tightly, only to shake and seemingly shiver as his entire body vibrated against the boy of steel.

Superboy Prime merely cried out, either in rage or pain as he spun in a counter clockwise direction, quickly freeing himself of the malleable Amazo. The android almost flew right off, but Superboy Prime managed to catch one of his lengthened limbs, spinning it around like a super fast lasso before letting it loose.

Amazo went flying straight into a nearby office building. The impact to its structure caused the whole building to collapse, crumbling down slowly to the ground with Amazo at its center.

Down below, the crowd of onlookers all held the same breath as they watch the battle in sheer astonishment.

"Wow. I don't even think Superman is that strong." One soldier commented to himself.

A young blonde couldn't help but to whistle and comment to a few of her friends "He's cute."

"Why yes he is." The blonde's attention was drawn to a nearby brunette who merely raised her eyebrows in triumph with a smile that declared in no unclear terms _He's mine. Not yours. Deal. _

Superboy Prime watched as the seething mad Amazo charged at him in a gust a super speed. The android's fist was caught in Prime's own grasp, and with the barest of apparent effort, Superboy Prime ripped the android's right arm clean off.

The android looked on in astonishment at the Superboy in front of him. The young man stood calm and confident, looking at Amazo with an all too smug grin.

The snarling android reacted with heat vision, but the boy countered with heat vision of his own. Matching sets of crimson beams clashed and flared brightly for a second before the boy's heat vision won the duel, burning right into Amazo's eye sockets.

The android cried out in pain as Superboy Prime flew an inch over Amazo's head before unleashing a casual swat that knocked the android down into the ground once again.

The street shook with the impact and onlookers could only stare in astonishment as the boy of steel landed down in front of the seemingly helpless android as it crawled on all fours, or rather three, out of the crater of its own impact.

Amazo had no eyes with which to see, but his enhanced hearing detected the heartbeat of the Superboy as he took slow, purposeful steps towards him. Summoning his own power ring, Amazo tried to create an emerald barrier between himself and his opponent, but Superboy Prime never even slowed his pace as he casually punched right through it, leaving it to shatter and dissolve away.

"Give up. There's no power you have that I can't match and beat. You're finished." Superboy Prime declared formally.

_Not true._

The words startled Superboy Prime as confidence and certainty receded from his features. The voice seemed to echo from all around him.

_You have forgotten my telepathy. I'm inside your mind. I can see your thoughts and… Ah. I can see she means quite a lot to you._

Superboy Prime's eyes widened in blind terror as he immediately turned to the crowd.

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Laurie had shared the sheer awe at Clark's performance with the rest of the crowd. His speed, his strength. He was unbelievable.

She couldn't help but to smile proudly until she noticed him standing there across from his opponent, all but completely still. For a second, she wondered if something was wrong until she saw him quickly turn his head towards her.

The fear, the undiluted horror in his expression as his eyes met her own… yes. Something was very wrong.

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Amazo didn't hesitate. In the split second that this Superboy had taken to turn his gaze, Amazo took his moment to act.

He ran straight for her. He'd be at her side in less than a heartbeat.

Or rather, he would have been had a blue and red blur not appeared directly in his path. Twin crimson beams darted out, aiming directly for the android's legs. Superboy Prime's heat vision cut right through them, leaving the legs to stumble and fall of their own accord while Amazo, still carried by his own inertia, flew right into Superboy Prime's grasp.

Reaching out, the young man grabbed Amazo squarely by the neck, chocking him as he declared "You threatened her. No one threatens her."

Just behind Superboy Prime, the crowd had fallen completely silent. A giant gasp had been let out in the same collective breath of the crowd but he was aware of none of it.

"You'll never threaten anyone ever again."

With a snarl, Superboy Prime pulled back for a second before hurling Amazo's helpless body into the air. The crowd watched as the android went flying at incredible speeds, rapidly vanishing into the horizon until Prime, his gaze fixed on the android's exact location the entire time, let loose with a short blast of heat vision.

The small explosion off in the sky signaled to all that he had found his target. The distant puff of flame and smoke could have been as easily mistaken for a firecracker as it quickly seemed to vanish in the horizon. Superboy Prime turned from his defeated opponent back to the crowd.

For a second, the crowd simply remained in silent awe. Then, all at once, a roar of applause erupted as the entire crowd cried and cheered in approval. Superboy Prime seemed barely to notice any of them as he walked right past them, right through the crowd, and straight for Laurie.

"Th-that was amazing." Laurie clapped and cheered with the rest of the crowd as he walked right up to her. "Cl…" Laurie was cut off as Clark swept her right off her feet and into his arms. She let out a startled yelp before Clark's lips came down over her own.

A hush fell over the crowd at this; all save for a scowl from a lone blonde in the group. Time seemed to stop for a few seconds, until finally the two parted.

"Hey."

"Uhm, hey." She looked back at him, slightly confused by his reaction. "What was that for?"

"I was worried about you." He explained as his eyes met hers with a sigh of tremendous relief.

"Ok." She tried not to let her awkwardness show, but failed horribly as she attempted to politely point out "Uhm, you do know you're making a scene."

Turning around, Superboy Prime noticed for the first time the crowd of onlookers he had attracted. Setting Laurie down beside him, keeping her right hand in his left, he simply raised his hands into the air in unison as he cried out with all the energy and enthusiasm he could muster "Yeah!"

All at once, cries of cheer and praise were reignited. His audience roared as Superboy Prime was left breathless.

"Great job." "…never seen anything like it." "…be with the Titans?" "…seems a little young for the League." "…folks back home will never believe this!"

Superboy Prime was left speechless. He'd done it. It was his destiny. He knew that he was meant to be Superman. He was the only real hero on this Earth, the only hero that this Earth needed. And he could do it. He knew it. And so did they now.

Looking back over to Laurie, he saw her blushing as she smiled widely at him the whole time.

It was happening. A tear formed beneath his right eye as he took it all in. It was so perfect. Just like he'd always known it would be.

A quick blur drove by, snatching Laurie from his grip. Superboy Prime never had a chance to react as a golden lasso came down around his throat, constricting tightly and pulling him from where he stood, swinging him around and throwing him into a nearby building.

Superboy Prime immediately burst from the rubble to see Supergirl carrying Laurie within her arms.

"Titans together!" Robin cried as he led the charge.

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"Well," the voice paused to admit "that didn't go exactly as planned."

"How modest of you Faust." The Calculator spoke from his spot at the conference table within a private deluxe suit, somewhere within Metropolis. "Or need I remind you that sending Amazo was your idea in the first place." He continued after finishing his Rubik cube in hand, setting it down on the table besides its three brothers. "Remember? 'We need a big showing of strength.' 'Teach our weapon suppliers a lesson in respect.' 'Something dramatic to show that our society is still strong.'"

"Alright, enough Calculator." Talia stated. "We all agreed with Faust's plan."

"I didn't." He reminded curtly.

"I did." Dr. Psycho chirped in amused. "It was a hoot. Watching him tear apart a whole string of weapon cashes hidden in abandoned slums, and then having the whole thing get treated by the news as some super villain attack of the month. Ha."

"Yes." Calculator replied dryly. "Only now the story has made much bigger headlines, wouldn't you say? Or do you suppose that the rest of our Society is going to simply overlook the fact that we lost one of our most powerful members."

"I assure you they won't." Talia stated as she rose from her chair, eyeing the monitors carefully, paying particular attention to the powerful young man on them. "But perhaps we have found something far more valuable."

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Sitting within his private office atop Lex Towers sat one of the most powerful men in the world. None could argue this. Becoming President had been a demotion both in influence and income. Still, it had been highly entertaining none the less to order Superman around like a dog on a leash.

Now though, Lex Luthor's thoughts drifted to yet another opportunity before him. He watched the television footage carefully, and as he did he remained calm.

"So my young friend," Lex spoke to the young man on the screen before him. "You're back. How fortunate. We have much to accomplish, you and I."


	5. Home Again

_Author's Note: Gasp! Pant! _Wow. Well, this definitely is the longest chapter that I will ever write. Sorry for the long delay folks, but needless to say, even I'm surprised by how long this chapter has turned out.

I would like to take this time to thank, with all my heart, all those that have read and reviewed so far. You have done so much more than you realize, and have helped to give this story a new life that even I did not expect from it.

Write a review, get a response, and enjoy. I think you will.

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_" Clark. Clark?" The voice called out as it continued its search. _

_"Over here Alex." Clark Kent called back as he sat Indian style, watching with a captivated fascination at the crystal mirrors before him as they continued to flash images for his inspection. "I'm just looking." _

_Alexander Luthor, last survivor of Earth 3, merely sighed at his younger friend, who continued to stare at the image of a planet drifting off alone at the edge of space. "You're watching images of the universe again?" _

_"It's so cool." Clark answered back, still in awe. "I love looking at the different planets and stars. And there's so much to look at." _

_Alex knew. He had seen it all already. "That's not an actual planet. It's a moon, though a fairly large one." _

_"I know. In a few hours, it's going to finish completely breaking away from its orbit and drift off into space. I can make the crystals fast forward and see. Here watch." _

_Alex wore an unimpressed face as he watched Clark accelerate the passing hour on the crystal mirror before them to show the moon as it broke its eon's old orbit to wander off into the depths of the void. _

_" Clark, how long have you been here watching the stars?" _

_"Huh?" At this, Clark Kent turned away from the images. "Isn't that kind of a pointless question? I mean, you were the one who said that there was no time in here?" _

_Alex's expression never faded from its perpetual grimness. "There isn't. It's just… have you looked at Earth recently?" _

_"No." Clark answered a little too quickly before turning back to the images he had called up. "I don't like looking there much. It makes me homesick." _

_Alex took a second, deeper breath. The options for conversation here were very limited. It was a choice between a constantly star struck Superboy and an old couple that behaved like two lovesick teenagers. Still, Alex restrained himself as he said " Clark, there is something you need to see. _

_… _

_"No." Clark Kent's voice was so soft, so frightened. "It can't be true." _

_"It is son." The older Superman explained solemnly as both he and Lois hung their heads down in mourning and regret. _

_"But it can't. It just can't." Superboy was desperate to rationalize as tears worked their way out of the corner of his eyes. "Superman can't die. He-he's not supposed too." _

_"I wish that were true." Lois consoled as he moved alongside Superboy, wrapping her arms almost maternally around his shoulders, allowing him to rest his head against her. "I really do." _

_"Even I never thought this could have been possible." Alex admitted, trying his best to imitate the emotions of those around him. "This… Doomsday; I've never seen anything like it. I didn't think it was possible for a completely natural organism to overcome a Kryptonian powered by yellow sun, especially without any powers of its own." _

_"I've never seen anything like it all my years." Superman confessed, a small horror clutching at his throat as he watched images of the other Lois Lane clutching the battered, beaten body of the Superman of Earth-1. "I can only imagine what would have happened if it had appeared on Earth-2." _

_For a moment, there was simply silence. Mournful, respectful silence. But while others filled the silence with contemplation and regret, Alex Luthor's mind calculated. Finally, he spoke "Maybe… maybe it's time for that moment we spoke of." _

_All eyes immediately turned to Alex Luthor. _

_"What?" Superboy asked softly. _

_"Alex, no." Superman insisted quickly. _

_"Alex, we talked about this." Lois reminded strictly. "It's not for us to interfere." _

_"Forgive me Lois," Alex took great care to moderate his tone of voice between respect and authority "but that's a luxury we no longer have." _

_"It's not a luxury Alex." Superman stepped in on Lois' behalf, just as Alex had known that he would. "That's not our Earth anymore. Neither Superboy or I can be the hero that that Earth needs." _

_"No one can anymore." Alex pointed to the images of the fallen Superman on the crystal mirrors. "That Earth needs a Superman. More than just a hero with power, they need someone to fight for what's right. To be a symbol of hope; to represent an ideal that there is something good in everyone. Something worth fighting for. Even Earth Prime, an Earth that didn't even have super villains to defend it from recognized that." _

_"It's not as simple as that." Superman was lost to the irony of his own arguments. "That world had a Superman. It's not just up to Superboy or me to replace him." _

_"Not you." Alex agreed. "But Superboy was meant to walk in the same footsteps that you and the Kal-el of Earth-1 did. He was meant to be a hero." At this point, Alex took the trouble to look over to where Superboy stood, consoled by Lois, looking back at Alex hopefully. "The multiverse robbed him of that destiny, but this is our chance to correct that." _

_"Alex…" Superman warned as he could see the hope building in Superboy's eyes. _

_"This Earth needs a Superman. Superboy was destined to be Superman. The universe seldom provides us with such clear and obvious choices." _

_"Could… could I really go back?" Superboy asked, much to Lois and Superman's chagrin. _

_"Alex Luthor, stop it." Lois instructed sternly. "You've no right to get Superboy's hopes up like that. You know there's no way for us to leave here anyway." _

_"Maybe." Alex admitted reluctantly. "Maybe not. We've always been too afraid to really try." _

_"I could really go back?" Superboy asked again. _

_"Alex!" Lois warned again before turning to Superman. "Honey, why don't you two excuse us? Superboy and I need to have a talk." _

_… _

_"It isn't right for you to toy with Superboy's feelings like that." Superman chastened with a stern face, keeping hid arms crossed with a disapproving manner. _

_"This is more important than Superboy." Alex argued back. "And frankly, if anyone is being inconsiderate of his feelings, it's you and Lois." _

_"We're trying to protect him from heartache Alex." Superman reminded. "You know he still thinks of that Earth as his home. But that's not Earth Prime, and he needs to accept that. He's having a hard time letting go, and you're not helping him by spinning him around with the notion that it is." _

_"It's still better for him than here." At this, even Alex could not keep his emotions in check entirely. For a split second, his indignation at Superman's accusations flared. "You and Lois may be happy here but that's because you've already lived your lives. We…" Alex caught himself in mid sentence and took a second to compose himself before continuing "Superboy hasn't had a full life like the two of you. He hasn't grown up yet. And he can't. Not here." _

_Superman's expression softened slightly at the sight of his friend. Alex often kept his emotions in check and Superman had long suspected that more than anything, Alex needed to learn to release once and a while. To find something to smile about, even once. _

_"Alex, I know life here is… trying. For both of you. Truth be told, it's not as easy as you may think for either Lois or myself. We had a lot of friends on Earth-2. Friends we will never see again." Superman let out a long sigh as he continued. "But this is our home now. And we have to accept it." He turned to look at an image of the Earth. "That's not our home and it never will be." _

_… _

_"But why can't I go?" Superboy pleaded desperately. "It's like Alex said. They need me. They need Superman, and I am…" _

_"You are not Superman." Lois explained tenderly. "Not on that Earth you're not." _

_Superboy's lip pressed together in an angry pout as he glared angrily at Lois. "I would be if you'd give me a chance." _

_"Superboy…" Lois' voice chased after him. _

_"You know what I can do." He continued to argue his point passionately. "Alex says that under a yellow sun, I'm even stronger than Superman. Stronger than both of them. I can actually push planets with my super strength and even blow out suns with my super breath. He says that both Supermen used to be able to, but their powers faded with the restructuring of the multiverse. Theirs were both changed along with everything else. But not mine." _

_"Superboy, having powers doesn't make you a hero." Lois' voice became slightly stricter at this. _

_"It's just this place." If Superboy heard a word Lois had said, it didn't show. "There's no yellow sun here. I'm at less than a quarter strength in here. But if I went back to Earth…" _

_"Superboy stop." Lois instructed. "Your powers have nothing to do with this." _

_"Then what is it?" Superboy argued, forcing Lois to step back, and draw a calming breath. "Why won't you let me have a life out there?" _

_"Because you don't." Lois tried desperately to remind as painlessly as possible. A single look from Superboy's face informed her that she had failed. "None of us do." _

_"But I could…" _

_"Could what?" Lois softened her voice, taking considerable pains with her body language to comfort Superboy. "Go home. Go back to Smallvile?" _

_"Yes!" Superboy answered desperately. "I could see my parents again. See Laurie. They might still exist." _

_"Maybe" Lois answered. She had to admit she didn't understand have the intimate understanding of the multiverse, nor the events of the Crisis, that Alex and her husband had. "But then what?" _

_"What do you mean?" _

_"What do you think will happen when you knock on your parent's front door? That they'll just give you a big hug and invite you in? I know it's hard to accept but it wouldn't be your parents' front door. They'd look at you, and see Superboy. But they won't see their son. Your girlfriend won't see Clark Kent, she'll see a young Superman." Lois took another moment while her explanation processed itself in the young boy's mind. "You might see a lot of people and faces that you remember. But none of them will remember you. And you don't want to go through that." _

_"But…but I…" Superboy choked out the words "I want to go home." _

_"I know." Lois drew Superboy in close for a hug, feeling the young man sobbing into her shoulder. "I know." She paused for a moment, allowing his tears to dry. "But it wouldn't be fair. Not to you and not to the people of that Earth." _

_"What?" At this, Superboy paused in genuine confusion. _

_"It's not fair to them for you to just waltz and take his place. To pretend that one Superman is just the same as the other." Lois indicated to the image of the Lois Lane of Earth-1 crying openly over Superman's battered body. "That's not my husband out there, and I'd never be able to completely forgive anyone who ever believed that they could just replace him with someone else. That if the situation was reversed, that that Superman could ever just fill the shoes of my husband as if it were a simply matter of deciding whether or not the size was right. I can't know for sure, but I believe that that Lois Lane would agree with me." _

_Superboy stuttered in silence as he mewled over Lois' words. Guilt eventually settled uncomfortably in his stomach and Lois watched as he tried to bury his face in the ground in shame. _

_Her warm smile offered comfort and understanding as she reached for his shoulder. "You know what I do sometimes when I'm down; especially in here? I like to think. Think about things that make me smile." _

_Lois indicated over to a crystal wall off to the side. Superboy looked over to see a younger woman he unmistakably recognized as Lois, at least twenty years younger, dressed in a perfect, white silk wedding gown, and flying in the arms of a Superman. _

_"You and Superman?" Superboy guessed at the obvious. _

_"Our wedding day." Lois declared fondly as if it needed to be said. "Sometimes just remembering good times is the best way to forget the bad." Lois turned back to Superboy. "Even when things were at their worst, and believe me, they could get pretty bad sometimes when you're married to Superman; I always was able to draw strength from that memory. Now you try. Think of something. Your favorite memory from Earth Prime." _

_Clark took a long moment to consider. Then, without any sort of transition, the image on the crystal mirror faded, only to be replaced by an image of a young Clark Kent, surrounded by friends and family. Balloons and festive decorations adorned the Kent living room as nine year old Clark Kent opened a present laid out before him. _

_"Your birthday." _

_"My ninth." Clark declared nostalgically. "All my friends came over. Even Laurie. It was the first time she kissed me." Clark started to blush, turning back to Lois anxiously as he began to stutter "J-just on the cheek. We were just kids." _

_"It sounds like a great birthday." Lois decided softly as she leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss on Clark's forehead. _

_… _

_" Clark?" _

_"Over here Alex." Superboy called out as he continued to stare at the image before him. _

_Alex was disheartened to see him looking so intently at the crystal mirrors again. Still he masked it behind his usual façade as he began. " Clark, about what I said earlier…" _

_"Alex, please don't talk about it anymore." _

_" Clark?" _

_"I can't leave here Alex. None of us can." Superboy declared resolutely, not even bothering to turn to face Alex. _

_"We don't know that." Alex could already see where this was going, but tried to avert it anyway. "Superman is not…" _

_"Superman is dead." Superboy declared aloud. "Out there he is. And I can't bring him back." _

_"No." Alex paused, taken aback by the harsh sting in Superboy's tone. "No you can't. But…" _

_"But nothing." Superboy cut off Alex again, eager to end this conversation. "There's nothing out there for me. And I don't want to talk about it anymore. I can't go home Alex. So this is my home now. Let's just leave it at that." _

_For a moment, Alex was taken aback by the spirit of a truly noble man manifest within this young boy. _

_"Very well Clark. Please forgive me for bringing it up." _

_"It's ok." Superboy just shrugged. "I'm watching Earth Prime. I mean my memories of it. Do you want to see? We can look at when I first got my powers." _

_"Sure." Alex tried to hide his sigh. He had seen this before. Still, it didn't hurt. His relationship with the boy had been damaged. It would take time to rebuild, and to draw a splinter between him and Superman and Lois. _

_Still, Alex knew there was no need for concern. After all, within this Hell that was Heaven, time was no issue. _

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The roster of the Justice League stood side by side within the command room of the Watch Tower, starring at the images on the screen summoned up by Batman. There was a still silence before the Flash finally gave voice to the question already on several of their minds.

"What is it?"

"A retro virus." Superman answered in understanding as he looked over to Batman for affirmation.

"A genetically engineered retro virus." Batman corrected. "Designed to affect Kryptonian DNA."

"Affect?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Rewrite." Superman concluded aloud as he turned, trying to catch Batman's gaze, a razor's edge in his voice. "It'll turn him into a human."

"In theory." Batman admitted, taking obvious effort to avoid Superman's stern glance. "Obviously, it's never been tested. But if it works as it's supposed to, it will permanently nullify a Kryptonian's ability to store and convert yellow solar energy."

Superman's gaze intensified when he realized Batman was deliberately avoiding his glance. "There's no way you could have possibly developed this in just the time since he's been locked away. How long have you been working on this?"

Batman sat at the console, completely unresponsive. Finally, he pressed a few more choice buttons, turning off the images on the screen and causing a small compartment to open and a vial containing a clear liquid.

"Assuming its effective, we still need to figure out a way to infect him with it. There's only enough for a single treatment. We can't afford to attempt anything other than direct exposure."

"Leave that to me." Ion spoke forcefully even as an emerald glow poured out of the signal in the center of his chest, enveloping the vile and drawing it back to Ion, before the vile disappeared completely in a green flash, signaling to his teammates that he had stored it in a pocket dimension. "Get me close enough and I promise I'll get it through his skin."

"You have to." Batman turned to face Ion resolutely. "It'll take too long to cultivate another sample of the virus."

"This still leaves us with the problem of finding him." Wonder Woman was quick to point out. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about this latest tactic of Batman's didn't sit quite right with her.

"Yeah, the kid likes to whine and cry and pout a lot. You wouldn't think these things would make him super hard to find." Flash pointed out, his voice informing his colleagues in no uncertain terms precisely how eager he was to find the Superboy again. If only they could find a lead.

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"MURDERER!" Wonder Girl cried as she tightened the noose on her lasso, dragging Superboy Prime by the neck and hurling him through the air and into a nearby building with a loud crash. Dust and rubble had barely begun to fly before Cassie pulled back on the line, once again sending Superboy Prime hurling through the air.

On the ground, confusion and panic had overtaken as the squad cars now directed by Robin cleared bewildered civilians from the area while issuing orders to his fellow Titans. It was all he could do to keep his focus as he watched Wonder Girl continue her attack.

"Keep him confused. Miss Martian, Kid Devil, assist Wonder Girl. Ravager, make sure the crowd stays clear."

Up in the air, Supergirl hurried to deposit the young brunette in hand safely atop a rooftop just over a block away.

"Wait, you don't understand." Laurie tried to explain as she was hurriedly set down. Supergirl, satisfied that the young woman was otherwise unharmed and would be safe, immediately took back to the air, flying towards where she had left her comrades.

"Just stay here. We'll handle this." She called back as she flew off.

"But it wasn't him. He saved everyone." Laurie cried out, even as Supergirl either didn't hear her, or didn't care. At the moment, Laurie's only rational explanation for this behavior and the Titans attack was that they believed Clark to be responsible for the destruction downtown instead of Amazo. She had to tell them the truth. But first, she had to find a way down.

Laurie frantically scanned the top of the building before coming across a railing that led to a fire escape that ran up and down the side of the building.

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"He was better than you." Wonder Girl spit venomously through gritted teeth as she tightened the knot around Superboy Prime's neck. "Better than you could ever be. And you took him from me."

"Oh…boo-hoo." Superboy Prime manage to choke out as his fist spun back, knocking Wonder Girl back with the force of a train straight through another nearby building and right out the other side. Superboy Prime gave a disgusted look as he pulled the golden lasso from his neck, tossing it harmlessly to the ground. "If you miss him so much, just find some test tubes and grow a new boyfriend."

"Not so fast pal." Kid Devil jumped up behind Superboy Prime, grabbing him in a bear hug, attempting to pin his arms. "You mess with one Titan, you mess with us all."

"Am I supposed to know you?" Superboy Prime asked, clearly unimpressed even a sizzling sound arose from his clothing, the smell of burning and smoke rose from where Kid Devil's flesh contacted with Superboy Prime's costume.

"Name's Kid Devil, and that cooking smell. That's your flesh." Eddie explained.

"Oh please." Superboy Prime broke the hold with the barest of apparent effort even as he casually swatted the red skinned hero back. "I'm guessing nobody's told you anything about me, have they? Even Connor was never this pathetic."

"Don't talk about him that way!" A green skinned woman with a short blue cape and long flowing red hair flew straight at Superboy Prime.

"And just who are you supposed to be?" Superboy Prime flew up into the air, meeting this new foe head on. "Martian Girl?"

"Miss Martian, actually." The super heroine corrected as she let loose with a solid right to Superboy Prime's face.

"Pfft." Superboy Prime appeared unfazed. "That has got to be the dumbest name ever."

"Sorry you don't approve." Supergirl tore into Superboy Prime's backside from above, diving into him like a bullet and knocking him squarely into the street, causing concrete to erupt into the air. "Admittedly, it's not as clever as adding 'Prime' to the end of your name."

As the battle raged on, from off on the sidewalk, watching, Ravager couldn't help but notice "Hey Robin, this guy is a little out of our league here. How about some reinforcements?"

"Watchtower, this is Robin. Please answer." Robin had spent the last five minutes calling into his communicator, without success. He was certain there was nothing wrong with the equipment, yet every time he tried to get a signal through to the League, he was answered with nothing but static. "We've found Prime, please respond." Finally, Robin gave up as he turned to Ravager. "It's no good, something's blocking the signal. We're on our own."

Ravager and Robin both turned back to the fight to see Superboy Prime kick Miss Martian away from him and into a nearby car, even while he held Supergirl over his head by the throat, dangling helplessly. The female Martian crashed into a nearby SUV, impacting its frame and causing transmission fluids to leak out from beneath the car's body. A single flare from Superboy Prime's eyes and the car exploded in a ball of fire and smoke.

"Ravager, get M'orzz out of there! I'll tackle Prime."

Superboy Prime paid no heed to the burning ball to his side as he let loose with a mighty fist, knocking Supergirl into the air. The force of the strike was enough to overwhelm her own ability to fly, leaving her to sore limply straight through the seventieth floor of a nearby office building.

"Forget me?" Wonder Girl drove straight into Superboy Prime from behind, pressing him forward off balance. As she continued to fly straight, she grabbed his head and pressed it down through the concrete, causing him to dig a mark through the cement as she drove his face through the streets of Metropolis.

Superboy Prime quickly freed himself from her grip as he came up, grabbing her head and pressing it into the streets as he flew, returning the favor. Her head bobbled slightly from the impact, but he held her blonde hair down as he increased his speed.

"You disgust me." Superboy Prime finally pulled the limp form of Wonder Girl up from the street, releasing it for only a split second only to kick it through the air like a football. Superboy Prime's kick sent Wonder Girl flying through the air helplessly, disappearing from sight over the Metropolis skyline.

"Cassie!" Superboy Prime turned to see Robin running at him. The boy wonder reached beneath his cape and into his utility belt, producing three spinning birdarangs.

Superboy Prime quickly punched into the street three feet beneath where he hovered. His punch broke the concrete below into chunks, one of which Superboy Prime took in hand and threw at the flying weapons.

"More sonic weapons." Superboy Prime watched with satisfaction as all three weapons impacted on the thick piece of street. "Your teacher would never be so stupid as to try the same trick twice."

"You're right." Robin never broke in his charge for Prime. Superboy Prime merely shrugged, deciding to expose himself to Robin's best attack so as to prove his invulnerability.

By the time he had realized his mistake, the cartridge of gas Robin had removed from his utility belt had already been exploded directly in Superboy Prime's face.

"That stuff is strong enough to put down Solomon Grundy." Robin explained as Superboy Prime coughed and hacked, covering his face.

"Maybe." Superboy Prime coughed one last time before looking over to Robin. "But I'm stronger than he is. I'm stronger than all of you." At this, Superboy Prime smirked as he held up his hands to indicate his apparent immunity to Robin's weapon. "And the only reason any of you have lasted as long as you have is because I've just been toying with you."

"You're mistake." Supergirl came crashing into Superboy Prime from behind, knocking him into the ground beneath. "And it'll be your last."

"You should have burned my brain out with heat vision through my ears." Superboy Prime recovered faster than Supergirl anticipated, once again knocking with callous disregard off to the side and through a nearby building. "Or had Lady Martian hit me with telepathy. Nothing else hurts me."

"Oh I'm sure we'll find something." Kid Devil assured as he and Ravager ran straight at Superboy Prime.

"You just don't get it." Prime's eyes glowed deep fire red. "None of you can…" Superboy Prime's attention was suddenly drawn off to the side as his sensitive hearing suddenly detected a very specific cry of panic that caught his attention.

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Laurie had tried to hurry her way down the fire escape. The creaking of the bars as she made her way down gave her cause to wonder when the last time was that these stairs had even been used.

Her concerns about proper building code were quickly swept away as a limp blue and red figure with a flash of blonde hair flew through the side of the structure that she was making her way down. All at once, the bolts securing the walkway's frame became unsteady. The entire building shook and shuddered from the impact, and Laurie felt her balance fall out from beneath her as she fell over the side, barely managing to grab onto the railing for dear life.

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"Laurie!" Superboy Prime's uttered whisper was all but inaudible. Transfixed on her position by his x-ray vision, he failed to notice the Teen Titans charge at him, eager to exploit his apparent lack of focus.

Superboy Prime disappeared in a gust of speed that literally blew back Kid Devil as he was leaping at the attack. Prime never gave the Titans a second thought as he crossed the distance in a split second.

Laurie was about to reach up for the support with her spare hand when she felt herself scooped up in a familiar set of arms, carrying her flying into the air.

" Clark!?" Laurie cried out louder than she had intended too as she looked over to see his familiar, handsome face starring back at him.

"You keep getting in trouble and I'm going to start thinking it's on purpose." Clark's smirk drew a deep laugh from Laurie. Her tension flew out of her body as she clutched tightly Clark's neck.

" Clark, what happened back there? The Titans, they just came straight at you. I, I tried to tell them that you stopped that creep. That you saved everyone but…"

"It's ok." Superboy Prime focused his gaze past Laurie's concern. "The Titans know better now. They will leave us alone from now on."

Laurie allowed herself to indulge in the notion that for once in her life since Metropolis, everything was just perfect. This idea flowed warmly through her being as she looked over the absolutely tranquilizing Metropolis landscape before, safe in her boyfriend's arms as the two held onto each other high, high above the city skyline; the bright rays of the sun shinning over the city greeting them as they flew.

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"Risky move." Talia Al Guhl noted with an admittedly impressed tone of voice. "Jamming the Titans communication, leaving them to face this 'Superboy' on their own. Especially since you were the one advocating that we remain beneath the League's radar for the time being."

"A calculated risk." The Calculator admitted with a sinister glee. "But necessary for our little controlled experiment. An effective means of assessing the boy's abilities without risking the involvement of the League or anyone else that might jeopardize our interests."

"His power is beyond anything we've seen." Faust admitted in awe. "I've studied the arts that make and break gods. Believe me when I say this boy puts all that I have learned to shame."

"We must have him." Cheetah agreed eagerly, even as she licked her lips with wicked delight.

"I suppose there is one obvious way we might accomplish this task." The Calculator typed at his private keypad, replaying a choice scene as the boy of steel, upon defeating Amazo, moved purposefully through the crowd of onlookers, scooping up the young brunette in his hands, and kissing her passionately.

"Ooh, dibs on her." Dr. Psycho rubbed his hands together eagerly. "I'll keep her nice and comfortable late at night. We can play a few rounds of 'Doctor' together."

Talia Al Guhl made a point of ignoring the bile in her stomach at Dr. Psycho's words, refocusing her attention instead on the images of the Superboy on the screen. "She is the obvious means of controlling him. We'll have to make sure to secure her in such a manner that even the boy's super senses won't be able to locate her once we have her."

"You're getting too far ahead of yourself my dear" the Calculator insisted, never bothering to look away from his Rubik pyramid as he finished aligning the matching colors. "The obvious move here is to distract him while we 'secure' her. So who then do you propose we use to distract someone with that kind of power? The boy tore apart Amazo like cheap wrapping paper. Who, in our limited roster, could we possibly send that wouldn't be crushed within seconds?"

This rhetorical query brought about a long silence at the Society's table.

"It'd have to be someone tough. Someone that makes Bizzaro look like a lightweight." Dr. Psycho admitted.

"Not necessarily." Calculator responded. "Given the boy's brute strength, it seems unlikely that physical force will get the job done. Perhaps we need someone more able to challenge the boy's mind rather than body."

"Like who? The Riddler? Trickster? Captain freaking Boomerang?" Dr. Psycho asked incredulously. "No way. We need something big and heavy."

"Look at how the boy responds to praise." Talia indicated to the appropriate recordings on the screen. "He models himself after Superman, but he clearly has none of the Man of Steel's humility."

"He likes to show off." Calculator continued with Talia's observation as he too studied the images intently. "He likes to think of himself as a hero. He wants to follow in Superman's footsteps."

"No. Not follow." Talia noted, carefully studying the boy's body language and facial expression. "Surpass. He wants to be better."

"Then he will best respond to any chance to prove it." Faust could see where this was going. "That is what we must bait him with. Something big. Bigger than even Superman could handle. Another chance for him to publicly show that he is a better hero than his accursed namesake."

"Great." Dr. Psycho chirped, clearly unimpressed. "So big, makes a lot of noise, and tougher than Superman can handle. There's a long list."

Another long silence greeted Dr. Psycho's sarcasm as the answer seemed to obviously present itself. One by one, the group agreed on the course of action without saying a word.

"Oooh, there's no part of this idea I don't love." Dr. Psycho exclaimed gleefully.

"Just so we're clear on this," Calculator interjected cautiously "We're talking about walking up to the gates of Hell, and inviting the Devil to come out and play."

"Indeed we are." Faust could find little fault with the Calculator's colorful metaphor.

"Perhaps." Talia stated coldly as she fixed a determined glare at the image of the Superboy on the screen. "But our Society once fancied itself as the new masters of the world. Now, we are bleeding out. One by one, our allies slowly abandon us and our enemies grow more and more bold in their defiance of us. Under our control, this boy will change all of that. We must have him."

Silence signaled unanimous agreement as Cheetah declared "So be it."

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Robin wore a stone set expression on his face as he scanned up and down the streets of Metropolis that had been their battle field. He'd had him. Conner's killer had been right in front of him, and he'd let him slip away.

No, he hadn't slipped away, he'd retreated. He'd run. He'd shrugged off their strongest, their most powerful and then he'd withdrawn of his own accord.

"Laurie." Robin murmured to himself as he recalled the silent word that he'd read off of Prime's lips.

"Who's that?" Kid Devil asked, over hearing Robin's rhetorical observation.

"I don't know," Robin admitted "but I think it's possible that whoever it is, they just saved our lives."

"Uh excuse me." The badge of one officer Holland approached Robin and Kid Devil as officiously as possible.

"Officer." Robin acknowledged. "Is everyone ok?"

"Well, everyone in the crowd checks out fine. Barely a bump or a bruise on a single one of them."

"Officer Holland, there was a young woman; a brunette about six, two wearing a white sweater and blue denim pants. Have you found her?"

The officer shook his head after thinking. "No. Haven't seen her." The officer admitted before adding "You know, the witnesses are saying that Superboy…"

"Prime." Robin cut off.

"I'm sorry."

"The suspect. His name isn't Superboy. It's Prime."

The cold, stern gaze coming from the boy wonder left no room for discussion as officer Holland quickly stuttered in compliance "Uh, yes. Prime. Well, the witnesses, they're saying Prime actually saved them from Amazo."

Robin turned to see Kid Devil's obvious confusion matching his own thoughts. "What about our team? Any word on their conditions?"

"Well, the last of them got checked into Metropolis General. Supergirl might have a concussion. We got a report from one of our air units that saw Wonder Girl flying through the air. The paramedics only reached her a few minutes ago. No word on her condition. Miss Martian however…"

Neither of the Titans standing there were in any mood for dramatic pauses where the fate of one of their own was concerned. "Miss Martian what? Spit it out already!"

"Kid Devil, please." Robin tried to restrain his teammate.

"Well, they're not sure." He rubbed his head uneasily as he explained. "They say she's got third degree burns over at least seventy percent of her body, and is… well she's comatose."

Both Titans' faces fell in the same breath. Neither seemed interested any longer in what the police officer had to say, not that he had anything further to add. Instead, they just seemed to wander off, Robin silently cursing to himself. _Not again. Please, not again._

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Gale force winds. Tornadoes. Hurricanes. Nuclear bombs. Specific super villains. And at the top of that list, a single entity. An otherwise nameless creature, titled for the inescapable death and destruction that he sowed. Immortalized by achieving what countless other madmen of incredible intellect and cosmic power had failed; by killing the greatest hero of all time.

Doomsday.

The monster had died years ago in Metropolis. That would only serve to make it stronger. Death could never stop the creature. So it had to be locked away.

The Justice League had handled the details. A custom designed bunker, over a half a mile deep in the earth, completely encased by thirty feet of reinforced steel. There was no way in to the bunker and no way out. No tunnels, no entrance ways, not even a teleport pad. The creature is restrained by three foot thick chains and shackles forged out of solid tritanium harvested from deep space asteroids; restraints powerful enough that even the core of a star couldn't melt. In truth, the beast could probably still escape the chains if not for the stasis field which continues to pacify the creature, operating on frequency which even the creature's adaptive abilities can not overcome… yet. The entire bunker is carefully monitored by a dozen different sensors capable of detecting even the slightest bit of motion. If the creature so much as shrugs, an alarm is sent signaling an omega level priority to the Justice League and dragging the President as well as every last Joint Chief out of bed. Finally, on a separate power source, a Point Phantom Zone generator. In the event that the stasis field fails and the chains are shattered, the generator detonates, sucking the bunker and its entire contents into the Phantom Zone.

After the design had been completed, the Flash had had the light heart to ask 'so, we got enough dynamite there, Butch?' He immediately regretted the statement after receiving dual glares from both Superman and Batman and was then eager to contribute whatever useful aide he could.

Before the Society could even plan the breakout, they literally had to break into the Pentagon in order to retrieve the plans. Even with Warp's assistance, Toyman and Parasite never made it out.

This left them with the task of actually pulling it all off. It was the Brain that concocted the surprisingly simple plan.

The bunker's power requirements are substantial. The alarms, the stasis field, and its dozen and one sensor are sustained by three separate power nodes. Each of them is buried deep within the ground, at random depths and locations relative to the bunker, so that there is no predictable pattern to locating them. This makes them impossible to target unless one already knows where they are, and if any one of them is disturbed, even by a gopher, the alarm is triggered.

The Society had acquired technologies from across the galaxy to create the devices that they would need to perform this breakout and of course, the Brain absolutely refused to quit bragging about the genius with which he had constructed them in the first place, and on such short notice to boot.

The bunker itself, as well as its supporting power nodes, are buried beneath an abandoned Wayne Corp. construction site just outside of a small town in upstate New York. The entire area is otherwise condemned by the federal government under threat of full prosecution of the law.

The Society hardly let such matters concern themselves. Instead, they focused on placing the Brain's devices about the perimeter of the construction yard. The power nodes supporting the bunker were not of Earthly design either and would hardly be affected by something as trivial as an EMP generator. Instead, they brought what the Brain had named Quantum Nullifiers. A very impressive title for what were otherwise 'power dampeners'.

The Society's plan really was quite simple. Activate the dampeners; then watch as the powers nodes and the Phantom Zone generator deactivates. The creature awakens and breaks free of its restraints under its own power. But not before Warp is able to teleport in and back out with the creature. Once secured long enough for Dr. Psycho to work his magic upon it, the Society would then have only one concern; to get the hell out of its way while it did what it did best.

Cheetah crept along the grass, as silent and still as the night wind. The full moon shining overhead added to the sweet thrill as she kept her pace toward the first guard shack.

The other one was on the opposite side of the property. She had this one as her assignment. To the casual eye, they were nobody rent-a-cops patrolling for trespassers. Cheetah had to double check to smell the gun lubricant on their Secret Service issued sidearms, to see the strict discipline in their footsteps.

Two guards in the shack, another on patrol. Cheetah took her time before acting. On the hunt, there was only one moment to strike. It came for just a second and then was gone, never to return. Any sooner or later and the prey was lost. These men were trained to sound the alarm first, and fight second.

The larger guard in the shack reached for the radio. For a second, Cheetah felt her blood rise, but it passed. It was only the fifteen minute radio check in. The other shack would be making their check-in too. Every fifteen minutes of every hour of every day.

Check-in was met. The radio was set down. Cheetah felt her muscles tense again, felt her blood rise. She licked her lips, felt her blood rush, and waited for her heart to stop.

In the second it started again, she bound towards the shack. The first guard's throat was in her mouth as she leapt atop his shoulders, all in the same blink. The second guard didn't even have a chance to cry before Cheetah's claw cut neatly across his throat. Crimson cooper bubbled in his lungs as he tried to call out for help, leaving the third to turn about in time to finally notice the attack. Before he could even gasp at the sight of his two dead friends, Cheetah reached right through his chest and ripped his heart right out.

She waited for him to fall over to the ground before tapping on her earpiece. "Check point one, down."

"Likewise my dear." The smooth, cloying voice of the Weather Wizard replied over her communications equipment. "Oh I'm sorry; I forgot my secret code banter. Check point two, down."

"Solomon Grundy. Born on a Monday." The enormous brute spoke in, causing Cheetah to sigh and wonder precisely whose bright idea it had been to give that walking, undead ape a radio in the first place. Cheetah understood full well why they had brought him along on the mission, and it wasn't so that he could contribute to the conversation. It was so that, in case something went wrong, Doomsday would take just long enough tearing Grundy to pieces that the others could escape.

"Let's hurry, shall we?" Warp insisted over the radio, impatience combined with fear obvious in his voice. He had already determined that, if something were to go wrong, he would be the one to die before realizing it, and needless to say, it hadn't put him in fine spirits.

"Setting up the Quantum Nullifier." Cheetah moved back across the ground over to the shadows beneath the nearby tree where she had hidden the device. It was slightly larger than a football, and much the same shape. Cheetah looked at wrist GPS, signaling her location within the area relative to the exact spot where she was to place her Nullifier in relative position to the others to create a perimeter.

Once she was finally, finally certain that she was where she needed to be, she grabbed the device and placed it into the ground. Fortunately, the Brain had had the good sense to make the device's interface quite simple. Alongside the device's smooth, shiny exterior were two clear buttons, one atop the other. The first button was pressed to power the device. The second had to be pressed at the exact same time on all three to shut down all power within the perimeter.

The bullet knocked her off balance as it flew right through her shoulder blade. It was impossible. Nobody could sneak up on her. Cheetah clutched at the wound as she looked at her would be assassin.

"You." Cheetah hissed as blood spilled from her lips.

"Charming as ever." The voice greeted. "And I see your table manners have even improved."

Cheetah managed to leap just in time to dodge the second shot, sailing into the air and straight for her target.

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"Soloman Grundy. Born on a Monday."

"So I've been told." Weather Wizard just sighed as he worked at his device. Fortunately, the interface was simple enough that even Grundy could have figured it out. Maybe. "I'm all set. Cheetah, are you ready?" Nothing but soft static answered Weather Wizard in response. "Cheetah, are you there?" Again, no response. "Where are you, you miserable excuse for a fur coat?"

A loud cry from behind caught the Weather Wizard's attention. He spun around in time to see the large form of Soloman Grundy crying out in pain as electrical energy radiated outward from a strange 'X' shaped metallic device that now stood attached to his chest. Grundy only twitched and shook as he continued scream in mortal agony, until finally the device seemed to power down.

Smoke and fumes arose from the undead giant as if he were nothing but a slab of meat left to cook in the oven for too long. Grundy moaned in a soft agony as he fell over to the ground, unconscious.

"What the hell?" Weather Wizard felt his blood rise in panic as he reached for his wand. "It's a setup! Everyone, fall back. Fall baaaahck!" A bullet tore through Weather Wizard's right arm, causing him to lose grip of his wand. It fell to his side, ineptly, as he clutched at the wound.

No pain. Damn it, that meant he was going into shock! What was happening? Government soldiers shot to kill, and the nearest army base was still five miles away. Convenient if the creature ever escaped, but there was no way they could have found out about the Society's plans so soon.

"Probably wondering why you're still alive." A voice hypothesized from the side. Weather Wizard guessed it was his unseen sniper and quickly turned to see who it was. His shock seemed to amuse the gunman who commented "What can I say? Must be going soft?"

"What are you doing here?" Weather Wizard asked his eyes wide with astonishment. "Thought you were on our side?"

"Obviously you haven't checked your Secret Society roster." The figure cocked the release on his weapon as he leveled for another shot. "I'm solo."

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"It's done." The masked figure spoke into his phone as he stood over the unconscious figure of Warp.

"Exceptional. I must say, I do appreciate your willingness to undertake the assignment, especially on such short notice."

"You are a difficult client to say 'no' too… Lex." Deathstroke paused for effect. "And of course by using me against the Society, you hurt their reputations in addition to spoiling their plans. Nice two for one deal."

There was a slight pause on the other side of the line. "Always one to figure out the obvious."

"The toys, your price, and really who else has an axe to grind with the Society, let alone be willing to even ask me to be the wrench in their scheme?"

"It's not a vendetta." Lex informed plainly. "It's just them. I mean really; a band of super villains working together to conquer the world. Whoever heard of such nonsense? You should be relieved you had the good sense to move on to other things with your life. That will go a long way to ensuring you stay alive."

"Careful Lex." Deathstroke warned. "You're a public figure. Your movements are easy to track at any time."

"Really Slade." Lex seemed to wave off the veiled threat dismissively. "You should know better. No one is foolish enough to put out a contract on me."

"You have many enemies."

"Be grateful you're not one of them. Farewell." And with that, the line went dead. Slade put down his transmitter with a gruff laugh. As he looked back, he calculated to himself the costs and expenses of this operation, weighing them against his salary. All in all, not bad for a single night's work, even if it was on only a half hour's short notice.

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"You are certain you can control the creature as you did before?" Talia leveled a pointed gaze at Dr. Psycho. "The beast has the ability to adapt and overcome methods used against it before."

"Relax. "Dr. Psycho assured with a cocky grin. "It's one thing to control ol' grizzly; it's another to be able to just point him in the right direction and let him do what he does best. Trust me; I can dangle the right strings to get him where we want."

"Once the boy is distracted, Faust will extract the girl." Calculator reminded as the Society went over the plan.

"Hmph. A task for an underling." Faust grumbled loud enough for all to hear.

"Quite the contrary." Talia insisted, very careful to mix the appropriate amount of respect and flattery in her tone of voice. "Even distracted, the boy's senses will be no less powerful. If they are as proportionally superior to Superman's as the rest of his abilities, it will take nothing short of exceptional talent to seize her without him noticing."

"I might remind everyone," Calculator took this moment to interject "that all of this is contingent upon Cheetah and her team," Calculator looked down upon his watch, "Who are now one minute and twenty seven seconds overdue."

"And you may stop waiting for them." The voice came from nowhere and everywhere, yet soon coalesced in a swirl of transparent green light that took the form of a hologram. The hologram itself depicted a middle aged business man in a powerful, five figure suit with an all too familiar bald head. "I'm afraid neither Cheetah nor Doomsday will be rejoining your Society."

"Luthor. What an unexpected surprise." Talia al Guhl stated as carefully as possible, eyeing the hologram intently. "Particularly in light of your well made attitude to our Society of late."

"My attitude has not changed Talia." Lex stated boldly as his hologram crossed his arms in authority. "I have no interesting whatsoever in joining, allying, or associating with your Society. As long as you respect this decision, and do not involve yourself in my affairs, I am quite content to allow you to do the same."

"Then why are you here Lex?" Calculator felt he had to ask the obvious.

"Please Calculator. This will be much less unpleasant for you if you do not treat me like an idiot."

"The boy." Talia stated coldly.

"I have invested time and interest in him. I'll not have that investment jeopardized by your rash actions."

"What is this?" Dr. Psycho asked angrily as he stormed up to the holographic Lex. "You think you can just walk in here and order us around? Well tough. We saw him first. Besides, we're just going after his pretty little girlfriend." Dr. Psycho's attention seemed to wander away from Lex and off as he started mumbling to himself "Oooh, the things I'm going to love doing to her; not to mention what I'm going to love making her do to herself."

"Repugnant as always." Lex dismissed of the diminutive mad man.

"Be that as it may, I'm afraid he's right Lex." Talia stepped back in to the conversation, eyeing Luthor squarely. "You are not a member of the Society, much less a part of the ruling body. You were invited to take your imposter's place and refused us outright. You have no say here."

"So be it." Luthor nodded in acceptance. "The boy cannot see or hear this hologram. However, I am generating a high pitched sonic pulse that his enhanced hearing can detect, especially since I've deactivated the sonic dampeners you placed within this room. I'm sure he's scanning this room at this very moment, and I have absolutely no doubt that he just overheard your plans for his 'friend.' "

A wide eyed look of terror passed through the Society as their head members looked from one to another in uncertainty

"I'm well aware this violates our previous agreement, and I do accept any consequences that may befall me as a result, should any of you live long enough to inflict them upon me of course. Farewell."

The holographic Lex Luthor vanished from the conference room, leaving the four to look upon one another in wide eyed horror. Barely a breath passed between them before Dr. Psycho finally gave voice to their mutual thoughts.

"Oh crap."

The wall behind their table exploded in fury. Wood and plaster flew across the room as everyone of the Society was thrown to the ground by the force.

"You threatened her." The voice came seething with burning rage. Red hot eyes glowed like those of an ominous dark god as the figure hovered in the middle of the hole leading into the Society's meeting room. "No one threatens her."

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The soft drip of the bathroom sink that never stopped leaking continued to echo softly throughout the one room hovel. Laurie could swear she heard the dripping sound in perfect synch with the beating of her own heart and tried to pretend she didn't notice as she sat Indian style in the middle of her room, waiting for Clark's return.

She focused her trembling hands instead on the large crystal chunk in her hand. It felt thrice as heavy as it really was and she tried to resist the urge to hurl it towards the nearest corner of the room and out of her sight forever.

Instead, her emotions betrayed her as they conjured forth images from the crystal. Laurie's eyes remained transfixed on the images before her, in spite of all her will power.

"Sorry. It doesn't get cable."

Clark's voice caused Laurie to jump where she sat, dropping the crystal with a loud thunk on the apartment floor.

" Clark!" She cried out in a mixture of surprise and anger. "Geez Clark, you scared me half to death."

"Sorry." He walked over to her, still in his costume, leaning down until he was practically at eye level. "Next time I'll knock." He promised as he planted a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"Thank you." She seemed to acknowledge either the kiss or the sentiment as she asked "So, everything ok? You took off in kind of a hurry there." She reminded as she eyed him warily.

"Emergency." Superboy Prime assured. "Don't worry. Cat's out of the tree."

Laurie eyed him expectantly, until finally she burst out laughing at the imagery flashing before her mind's eye. "Well, I'm sure the old lady appreciated it."

Superboy Prime moved past the comment too the crystal lying absently on the floor. It was then that both he and Laurie noticed the images that Laurie had called up on it. "Your father?"

"It's nothing." Laurie tried to reach for the crystal chunk, but Clark snatched it away first. " Clark, give it back." She demanded angrily.

"What's the big deal? It's just your dad." Clark looked at the images of him working in the Lemmon's garage on yet another in a long line of birdhouses for the Lemmon's backyard. It wasn't so much that they had a fairly sizeable bird problem as it was the design seemed ever out of Mr. Lemmon's reach. The images flashed forwards until Clark saw a sight that left him utterly confused and speechless. Refusing to believe the pictures he was seeing, he turned to Laurie for confirmation.

"My dad got sick." Laurie finally confessed in a soft voice. "Real sick. It was just before I moved to Metropolis."

"Well, have you talked to him since then? How's he doing?" Clark's attention was directed past the crystal and at Laurie. He watched as she struggled with considerable effort to keep from fidgeting uncomfortably.

"He died Clark!" Laurie confessed, unsure whether she was angry at Clark for being so insensitive about the subject or angry about the way she was behaving in front of him. "A few weeks ago." Laurie took a moment to lower the volume of her voice before continuing. "When I first moved to Metropolis, I tried to find a job so I could send a little money back home. I knew it wouldn't be much, but just enough to help out mom a bit around the house. Instead, I ended up hooking up with Zack. I had to borrow money just to eat. I couldn't even scrounge up enough for a bus ticket back home."

Clark swallowed an uncomfortable lump in his throat as he watched Laurie sit back down on her beaten couch. Smiling brightly, he sat down next to her as he offered "well then, I think you are well overdue for a visit home."

"No." Laurie shook her head insistently as she looked down at her feet.

"Come on." Clark offered warmly. "I'm faster than any bus, and way cheaper."

" Clark I can't." Laurie insisted resolutely again.

"Yes you can." Clark assured with a confident smile. "I promise, I'll have you there in thirty minutes or less or your pizza's free."

"Clark, NO!" Laurie exploded in a torrent of tears and anger as she turned to Clark savagely. The hurt and pain in her eyes froze Clark where he sat as Laurie stormed off to the other side of the room in a vain attempt to hide her shame and anguish from him.

Clark waited several seconds as the silence of the room was filled in with Laurie's sobs; all the while she kept her back to him. When he finally felt bold enough, he dared a cautious step from the couch towards her. When she remained still, he dared another. And another. He finally came up beside her, placing his hands comfortingly on her shoulders. "What's wrong?" He hushed the question, rubbing his palms gently against her shoulder. "Talk to me."

"He used me Clark" Laurie finally admitted, her tears tripling as the memories came back. "Zack. The week of my father's funeral, he wouldn't let me go back home. He…" she gushed, barely able to speak as she forced out "he needed me to pay back some debt he owed, so he… he passed me around. As collateral."

Laurie finally turned around and buried her tears and pain in Clark's shoulders. A deep, burning rage filled every fiber of Clark's being, and for a second, he wanted to fly out and find every gangster in this sick city. Make them all pay so that he would be sure to punish the ones responsible. Instead, the force with which Laurie clung to his body kept him in check. Clark remained completely and utterly grounded as a thought occurred to him. Laurie didn't need his anger or his vengeance; she needed him.

"How do I do it?" Laurie pleaded over her sobs. "How do I face my mother after that? How do I tell her where I was when she was putting her husband, my father, in the ground?"

"You don't have to." Clark assured as he began to softly rub the back of her head. "Not if you don't want to. But whatever you decide, I promise I'll be there with you for it. I'll never let anything ever hurt you ever again Laurie. I swear. Never again."

Laurie just sniffled as she continued to cling tightly to him. Neither said anything for several long minutes. They just stood together, completely silent and still.

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A soft moan he lacked the sense to recognize as his own. A splitting headache. A bright light forcing his eyes open. And the inquisitive glance of a medical drone later, and Guy Gardner was welcomed back into the land of the living. He looked around to see himself in a strange facility that he recognized as a sickbay of some sorts.

"Observation: Green Lantern casualty forty seven is active again." The medical drone proclaimed rather passively as it examined Gardner's medical readings displayed at the foot of his bed.

"Oh great. My nurse." Guy groaned as his head suddenly felt five sizes too small. "Where am I?"

"Response: You are currently recuperating at the medical facility of Oa. Explanation: You and three additional Lanterns were discovered critically injured and brought here for medical attention after failing to apprehend Prisoner Twelve."

Gardner looked at the small purple android in disbelief. Fortunately a voice from afar offered salvation from the annoyingly persistent excuse for a nursemaid. "Guy!"

"John" Guy Gardner exclaimed at the sight of his fellow Green Lantern from Earth, attempting to jump out of bed at the sight. In response, it felt as if every last bone and vital organ in his body cried out in protest, forcing Guy to lie back in his bed.

"Take it easy." John Stewart steadied Guy back down. "You have no idea how lucky you are to be alive right now."

"Where is he?" Guy gave John a resolute look. "Where did he go?"

"Earth." John Stewart declared gravely. "We got the word from Kyle. Apparently the League already gave it their best shot, and he walked right through them after making a mess of Metropolis."

"Gotta get back there." Guy tried to stand again, only to groan and collapse back into his bed.

"Easy soldier." John smiled at his comrade in arms. "You'll get your shot before this is over. A lot of us will."

"What do you mean?"

"They're gathering Guy. Coming in from across every sector. They're converging right here on Oa. I think the Guardians have something big planned."

"How big?"

"Big." John Stewart assured gravely.

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Laurie had always heard that you could never go home again. That if you tried, it would never quite be the same as you remembered it. Laurie had always believed this to be true. Though she had no experience to draw from in her theory, she always believed she would one day find herself walking through the familiar streets of home as if seeing them new for the first time.

But never in her life had she imagined she would by flying towards those same streets in her boyfriends arms. The landscape stretched out before her, taking her breath away. It was so serene, so peaceful. From so high up, it was so easy to look down on the world as if everything was a perfect picture drawn just for her. She could just imagine being able to do this for the rest of her life and quickly decided against saying anything to that effect to either her mother or Clark, at least for the time being.

" Clark, land over there." Laurie indicated to a small back alley behind a nearby convenience store. On a Sunday, Laurie knew that the store was closed and it would afford them some privacy.

"Why? Your mom's house isn't for another ten blocks." Clark noted. Clark had always found it a particularly cruel part of God's practical joke on him that the divine had chosen for him, not only to be born with the name of a comic book character, but to grow up and be raised in the town of the same name as said comic book character. Of course, while the Clark Kent's of both Earth-1 and Earth-2 had grown up in Smallvile, Kansas, Clark had grown up in Smallvile, Maine. He had loved life along the New England coast. The beach parties, the fishing trips with his father and uncle. On nights when their parents extended their curfew late enough, he and Laurie would drive down to the beach and spend the entire time walking, listening to the waves beating upon the sand alongside them as they talked about absolutely nothing and everything. Once, and only once, the two had stayed up on the beach all night, lying together on a towel as they watched the sun rise. Their parents had been mutually furious at the young couple, but that hadn't stopped them from exchanging joyous, almost triumphant smirks with each other in school the next week.

" Clark, hurry." Laurie indicated to the spot as the two of them drew closer and closer to town, afraid that at any moment, someone she knew might bother to look up in the air and notice her flying in the arms of her boyfriend. As much as she didn't want to admit to it, the thought of seeing her mother again had put her on edge and was wreaking havoc with her nerves.

"Alright, alright." Clark complied, landing gently upon the pavement beneath. Laurie was relieved as Clark finally put her down, giving her the opportunity to stretch her leg and back muscles. Flying in Clark's arms might have been incredibly romantic and breathtaking, but it was absolute murder on her back. As much as she liked being held by him, she was going to have to insist that the two of them take the train back to Metropolis when this was all over. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal?" Laurie looked at him incredulously. "The big deal is, my mom always wanted me to marry a doctor or a lawyer and I'm not just yet ready to tell her that I'm dating Superman instead." Laurie indicated to Clark's costume and then back to the duffle bag with their clothes in it that he had carried with them. "So hurry up and change." Laurie turned away to give Clark a bit of privacy even as she reached into her purse to retrieve her brush in an attempt to save her hair. "God, can you imagine the look on my mother's face when…"

A pair of super fast hands appeared at Laurie's sides, startling her and causing her to cry out in surprise. She turned to see Clark, now back in the clothes that she had bought for him, looking back at her with that smug grin of his as he cocked an eyebrow. "Faster than a speeding bullet."

Laurie waited 'till her breathing settled as she looked at Clark with a glare that seared that cocky expression right off his face. "Oh yeah. That's just what every girl wants to say about her boyfriend."

Laurie stormed out of the back alley way and out towards the main street, leaving Clark looking as if she had just punched him in the gut. It took him a moment to regain his composure before stumbling after her.

"And don't forget the bag."

Clark nearly tripped over his own feet as he doubled back for the duffle, lifting it over his shoulder before chasing back after her. The two walked the rest of the way, not saying a word to each other. Clark just wore an appropriately chastised face as he walked two footsteps behind her.

He tried to distract himself from Laurie's mood by taking in the sights and as he did, he realized something. This was it. Home. Superman, Lois, Alex; they'd all lied to him. They'd told him he could never go home again. But this was his home. He remembered so much of it all. The market that they had just walked out from behind; it had been the very place where he'd bought his costume for that fateful night when he'd first gotten his powers. Two blocks down from it was a hobby store where Clark's dad had taken him to buy comics when Clark was still really little. A few buildings over from there was a local diner. The owner kept it just fancy enough that it was considered the place to take your high school date out for dinner, or at least it was if you ever wanted to take her out again. Even the smell of the trees carried by the wind brought back a torrent of memories. So much of it forgotten and yet it all came back to him as if it had been yesterday since he'd left.

He could have walked up down those streets for days but for the fact that he soon found himself outside the Lemmon's house. It was a nice two story house with white painted bricks. Clark could see the side of the swing set Mr. Lemmon had installed in the backyard when Laurie was a little girl and remembered back to the times when he had been over there, playing together as kids.

A deep breath from Laurie brought Clark's attention back to her. Whatever anger or frustration had fueled her mood was now gone and in its place was something that Clark couldn't quite make out. She just stood as if absolutely frozen to the ground at the base of the path that led straight to her own front door.

"Laurie…" Clark spoke gently but was abruptly cut off as her hand grabbed at his, clutching it needingly. Clark suspected that, were if not for the fact his skin and bones could withstand a nuclear explosion without effort, he might find her grip almost painful. Instead, he just relaxed, the crystals in his body drawing back the solar charge accumulated in his body, and allowing him to squeeze her hand back gently but firmly. He was there for her, no matter what.

Laurie looked back to him, her eyes meeting his. And in that second, he saw it. Fear. She had the look of a condemned woman as she pleaded with him in a soft, shaking voice " Clark, whatever you do, don't let go of my hand please."

Clark smiled warmly back at her as he squeezed just a little tighter to assure her. "Sure."

Laurie tried her best to smile back at him, but as much as she wanted to feel good, to feel safe in her boyfriend's grip, she knew that for all his power, this was one thing even he couldn't save her from. But he would stand by her side through all of it, and that was going to have to be enough. She allowed herself another several long seconds of standing before she approached the front door. Painted a deep red with a worn in gold painted knocker, Laurie's finger trembled as it reached for the doorbell.

The sound of the bell caused Laurie's chest to tighten. Her breathing quickened, but she couldn't hear it over the sound of her heart pounding. "Why isn't she answering? Maybe she isn't home." Laurie was quick to rationalize.

"She is." Clark assured as he looked up at the second floor.

"What… are you… can you see her?" Laurie suddenly felt her blood boil. "Okay, look, this is stupid. Okay? We are leaving right now."

"Too late." Clark said, now looking directly in front of him. Both of them stopped right in their tracks as the sound of the front door knob turning caused them both to freeze like fugitives caught in the act. Clark didn't seem the slightest bit surprised by the sight that greeted them.

Sarah Lemmon had her daughter's looks; or rather her daughter had her looks. Laurie would look exactly like her mother in thirty years, and from Clark's perspective, that wasn't at all a bad thing. She stood a half a foot shorter than Laurie, dressed in a white sweater and blue jeans, her make-up perfectly accentuating her natural beauty. As a small boy, Clark could remember admitting to Laurie that he thought her mommy was very pretty, and getting punched right in the nose for the comment, never quite realizing why until he was a few years older.

"Laurie…" Sarah Lemmon wore the look of a woman who had just seen a ghost as she froze at the sight of her daughter. Clark looked between the two women to see each one, obviously completely unsure of what to do, say or even think around each other.

"Uh… hi mom." Laurie was too scared to feel stupid. She'd rehearsed a dozen different greetings for when she saw her mother again, but couldn't remember a single one of them to save her life at this moment. Sarah Lemmon took a slow, cautious step out of her front door and towards her daughter. For a second, Clark thought Laurie might move towards her, but she didn't.

Clark had the ability to see planets light years away or see molecules with his naked eye. Yet none of his super powers of vision could allow him to read the faces of Laurie and her mother. He couldn't tell if Mrs. Lemmon was ready to scream in anger, or burst out crying; or for that matter if Laurie would do the same or quickly turn tail and run.

"So… uhmm" Laurie rubbed her head anxiously, unable to keep her arms still, even as her mother took another step towards her. Laurie didn't seem to notice. "I…we were in town and, uhmm."

Sarah Lemmon could no longer hold herself back. She took another step and threw her arms around her daughter, drawing her in tightly as she took great pains to speak, an enormous relief in her voice as she said "Oh god Laurie. It's so good to see you again."

Every last one of Laurie's defenses broke down in her mom's grip and she hugged back with every fiber of her being. Neither of them cried. At first. But after maybe two seconds, Clark didn't need his super senses to hear their soft sobs or see the tears streaking down the sides of their cheeks and into each other's sweaters.

"Goodness, Laurie. Where are your manners?" Sarah Lemmon finally released her daughter, pulling back and whipping her face clean as if merely clearing something out of her eyes before indicating to Clark. "You haven't introduced me to this handsome gentleman."

Clark's heart lurched at this. Sarah Lemmon knew him, or at least she had known him. He'd always liked her and she'd always been nothing but polite and kind to him for as long as he known her. She had even defended him against Laurie's father, who hadn't wanted their only daughter to date until she was in college. Clark tried to mask his disheartenment as Laurie said "Mom, this is Clark. Clark Kent. We uhmm, we met in Metropolis."

"Hi Mrs. Lemmon." Clark extended his hand out, but then correctly remembered the manners that his mother had gone to such pains and lengths to drill into him. "I mean, hello."

"Well hello." Sarah Lemmon greeted Clark with a warm smile as she shook his hand before stepping back to open the door for them. "Well come in, come in. Both of you. You must be hungry after coming all the way up here from Metropolis."

The loud grumbling of a stomach caught both the Lemmon women's attention as they turned back to see Clark blushing fiercely as he admitted rather embarrassedly "That uhmm, that sounds great."

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Superman took a long, horrified look through the remnants of the deluxe suite, stepping over broken glass and fragments of wood and plaster. Off to the side, the crime scene investigators shot off photo after photo of every angle of the broken room even as the medics finished placing the last of the bodies on stretchers and removing them.

"He was here, wasn't he?"

"So it would seem." Batman admitted as he carefully analyzed a piece of broken glass held by a pair of pliers.

"I don't get it. First me, then the Antarctic, then Amazo and the Titans, and now the Secret Society. It doesn't make any sense."

"That's because we're looking at it without any sort of context." Batman bagged the piece of evidence, looking up to see Wonder Woman approach him and Superman.

"Well?" Superman was afraid to ask.

"Not much to say really. As far as we can tell, the lucky ones left here in a dustpan. The others… weren't so lucky." Wonder Woman resisted the urge to shudder at the thought of it all. "Especially Dr. Psycho. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"I don't get it. Why go after the Society?" Superman asked. "And like this? They weren't just killed; some of them were brutally tortured. That's a new one even for him."

"He killed the others because they were all in his way." Batman stooped over, continuing to examine the devastation. "But this was different. This was personal."

"You think the Society tried to control him? Tried to threaten him?" Superman reasoned aloud.

"No." Batman rose back up. "Not him."

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Laurie continued to stare in absolute mortification as Clark gorged himself on his third BLT. Bits of lettuce and bacon fell from his mouth as mayonnaise continued to drip down the side of his chin.

"Another?" Sarah Lemmon offered, clearly amused by the sight.

"Please." Clark dipped his head to catch a spare piece of tomato as it fell from his mouth while he handed his plate to Sarah Lemmon.

Laurie for her own part just stared at Clark in absolute horror. This was supposed to be a deep, powerful moment. She had expected to break down before her mother's barrage of questions, collapse into her arms and confess all the horrible mistakes she had made with her life. Instead, mother and daughter alike watched as her boyfriend savagely devoured enough bacon to fill a field. Clark didn't even seem to notice Laurie's gaze as he downed his second can of soda all in a single gulp, letting out a crude belch as if in triumph.

Clark's eyes widened with eager as Mrs. Lemmon brought another sandwich before him. Kryptonian physiology allowed him to substitute absorbed yellow solar energy for actual nutrients, and the most the Guardians had ever fed him on Oa was some kind of synthetic slab of something that looked like meat and tasted like grass. Now, his taste buds, dormant and unattended too for so long, were simply overwhelmed. Who had known that food tasted so good?

"So, how did you two meet?" Sarah Lemmon finally decided to ask.

"Pre-school." Clark answered without thinking as he bit into his sandwich.

"In Metropolis." Laurie replied in the same breath, causing the two to catch each other by the eye.

"I'm sorry?" Sarah asked, clearly confused.

"We met in Metropolis. Out in front of a pre-school." Laurie explained feebly. She had to admit that sounded lame. Super lame even.

"In front of St. George Elementary and Daycare." Clark added, drawing a concealed look of surprise from Laurie. "I practically ran her over trying to catch the bus."

The very notion of Clark rushing to catch a bus to go anywhere caused Laurie to chuckle. Sarah joined in with her daughter, amused by the notion of her poor daughter being steamrolled by this gentleman.

"Well how long have you two known each other?"

"A while." Clark answered naturally, having already taken his cue from Laurie. "She's told me so much about you Mrs. Lemmon; I just had to meet you." Laurie marveled as Clark continued, smooth as ice "I just wish I could figure out why she never mentioned where she got her looks from."

At this Sarah Lemmon chuckled, causing Clark to smile widely. It wasn't that Clark had any delusions of himself as a ladies man that sweet talked mothers while bagging their daughters. But this was a woman he knew practically as well as his own mother. With her, he could be himself, as long as it was his most charming self.

"Oh, he's a keeper, isn't he?" Sarah Lemmon cooed as she turned to her blushing daughter.

"Mom." Laurie hissed.

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"You sure you can do this?" Hal Jordan asked as he hovered, illuminated by a second, emerald skin, outside the Watchtower.

"I'm positive." Ion assured as he floated out in front of him, the two looking off at the floating Earth before them. "It's a new trick I've learned. It'll work."

"Good luck then Kyle." Hal Jordan said nothing further. He simply silently nodded in encouragement as Ion got to it.

Ion took a deep breath, gathering his focus as emerald light poured from the glowing emblem in his chest. The light gathered in his cupped hands, and began to swirl and fluctuate. For a second, Kyle remained perfectly still, leaving Hal in anticipation. Finally, Ion held out his hand as the light dispersed like thousands of small fireflies into the depths of space. Every one of his tiny emerald probes streaked away from him and straight for Earth.

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"You said it was urgent." Superman walked into the control room of the Watchtower, unsurprised to see the Dark Knight hard at work at the computer console before him.

In response to his voice, Batman merely pulled up an image of Superboy Prime captured by a local news crew following his battle with Amazo in Metropolis. Man of Steel and Dark Knight alike watched the imagery as Superboy Prime, immediately after dispatching Amazo, moved through a gathered crowd, scooping up a brunette into his arms and kissing her passionately before a stunned audience.

"I must get mobbed by groupies like that at least twice a week." Superman noted with a dry amusement. "You should see the lines that form for those 'Kiss Superman' con booths."

Batman's only response was to freeze the image and pull up a second image of a state driver's license. "Laurie Lemmon. Moved to Metropolis just under three months ago. Has lived almost completely off the grid that entire time. Look at where she lived before that."

Superman's eyes widened slightly at the address on her drivers license. "Smallvile?"

" Maine." Batman corrected. "She lived on the New England coast."

"She's from his hometown." Superman looked down at Batman in astonishment. "He knows her."

"We found him." Batman and Superman looked at dual emerald glows as Ion and Green Lantern came flying into the main control room. "Kyle found him!" Hal Jordan swore "And you'll never guess where."

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The car pulled to a steady stop. Sarah Lemmon shut the key, turning the engine off, leaving an uneasy silence to fill the vehicle.

"Are you sure about this?" Sarah turned to her daughter in the front passenger seat who wore a look of apprehension about her. Laurie simply nodded meekly as she took another deep breath.

"Laurie." Clark leaned over from the backseat, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to do this so soon if you don't want to. We can come back later."

"He's right, honey." Sarah Lemmon was surprised that Laurie had insisted she visit the cemetery where her father was buried so soon. It didn't take a mother to see that guilt had been a huge motivator, and she had tried to talk her daughter into waiting a day. "You two don't have to leave right away, give yourself some time."

Laurie took another deep breath as she looked out over the assemblage of graves before her. "No." she decided resolutely.

Sarah gave a soft sigh as she looked back, catching Clark's eyes. The two silently agreed that nothing more could be said or done and all three piled out of the car together. As Clark stepped out, he turned to Laurie, handing her a collection of flower that they had stopped off to pick up for her father's grave. Laurie never said anything as she took the flowers, allowing herself only a second to admire them before turning away and walking off towards where the site was located.

Clark tried not to peak in on her with his super hearing, but he couldn't resist the temptation. Her heart was thundering. Each deep breath seemed to illicit another and another. He watched her slowly marching towards the grave. Standings thirty meters away he could read the words on the tombstone with flawless acuity.

_Steven Lemmon._ _Beloved Father And Husband. At Peace. _

"Do you love her?"

The question caught Clark Kent completely off guard as he turned to look over to Sarah Lemmon.

Superboy Prime had stared directly into the face of evil, into the eyes of the Anti-Monitor himself. He had faced down entire groups of super heroes with rage and hate in their hearts and spat at them all.

But this was much more overwhelming.

This was a mother; a mother protecting her only daughter. He had forgotten what an overpowering force the look from a mother could be. It was one that would accept no excuses; that would see through any deceptions and would not be content with anything other than the absolute truth.

He saw that look leveled at him and felt himself freeze, all his defenses and barriers crumble and whither at her stern, inflexible gaze.

"Yes."

Clark answered without thinking. For a second, he wondered if he should say more than just a single word in response.

His fears were immediately alleviated as her expression softened with a smile. As quickly as she had torn away all certainty and confidence within him, she restored it all and more as her hand reached for his shoulder.

"Go to her then. Be with her."

Clark looked back over to where Laurie stood, his face torn by confusion and panic. "But… I… I d-don't know what to say. I…"

She quickly shushed him. "Don't worry. You won't have to say a thing. Go ahead."

Clark took a long gulp before leaving Mrs. Lemmon's side. Walking across the neatly trimmed grass as if his footsteps might disturb her, he cautiously came up along side Laurie, remaining perfectly still.

He didn't need super hearing to detect the soft sounds of her sobbing, or x-ray vision to see small tears dripping down the side of her perfect face. He longed to be able to say the perfect words to make her happy again. To do that one, simple, perfect, obvious action to make everything all better, yet it completely eluded him.

His hand cautiously reached out for her shoulder, unsurely finding perch there as if it might be bitten off. Almost immediately, Laurie's hand reached out for his, clinging to it needingly. Apart from grabbing his hand, she didn't seem to react to him otherwise. She just held his hand on her shoulder for what felt like an uncertain eternity to Clark.

Finally, he dared another step forward so that he was now standing directly beside her. It was then that she finally turned to him, burying her face in his chest and sobbing openly into his brand new sweater.

"I miss him. I miss him so much." She confessed through her sobs as his arms fell around her, holding her gently.

"I'm so sorry." Guilt gorged itself on every one of her tears. He imagined himself escaping from that accursed heaven/hell and coming back home. How much of her suffering could he have alleviated, if only he had known. If he had come straight back instead of bothering with Alex's stupid, long winded plan.

Never again. This vow burned in his mind as he held her. It would never happen again.

Another age must have passed before Laurie's sobbing finally subsided. Clark still held her until she was finally ready to look up at him.

_Thank you._ She didn't say it. Not aloud. But somehow, Clark imagined the words written into her eyes as they met his.

Clark tried to smile comfortingly as he took her by the arm and guided her towards the car and her waiting mother.

Sarah Lemmon moved to take her daughter and guide her into the car. As she did, she cast a knowing smile at Clark which he shyly returned.

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The League members assembled watched in utter silence. They might have remained that way forever had Ion not given voice to their collective thought.

"This is just creepy."

"We can take him." Power Girl argued, all too eagerly. "We need to catch him by surprise. And this time we don't let up."

"No." Batman declared formally.

"No?" Power Girl looked back at the assembled heroes for support. "Are we forgetting who this is? Let's take him now."

"We tried that in Metropolis." Superman reminded with dismay. "He blew right through before laying waste to half the city. We go in there half cocked like we did the last time and it'll just happen all over again. Innocent people will pay the price, and he'll still get away."

"So what then?" Power Girl continued to argue her point passionately. "We just stay here and watch him?"

"Yes." Batman insisted calmly. "He's been nothing but passive. And it's obvious from their body language that those women are not his hostages. We watch, and we wait for the opportunity."

"What opportunity?"

"When he lowers his guard." Wonder Woman interjected. "He's in familiar settings and he already thinks he's indestructible. He'll relax. He'll slip up."

"And that's when we use the virus." Superman crossed his arms as he continued to look at the monitor.

"Easy for you to say." Power Girl grumbled loud enough for anyone with even the most basic of hearing ability. "Wonder how you'd feel if he killed your cou…"

"Power Girl." Superman stepped in, determined to keep things from heating up further. "This isn't the time. I understand your concerns, I truly do. But I agree with Batman on this one. We stay put and watch."

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By the time the Lemmon's car had pulled back into the driveway, it was well into the night. The trio had stopped off at a colorful local diner on their way back from the cemetery and had become immersed in conversation, to the point that the staff had had to politely ask them to leave so that they could finally close up.

A full moon and bright stars lit the sky overhead as the car came to a final stop. Clark and the Lemmon's opened their car doors, slowly making their way inside.

"Oh my goodness." Sarah Lemmon sighed with laughter as she opened her car door.

"No, it's true." Clark Kent joked, to the delight and amusement of the Lemmon women. "Booster Gold actually does these ridiculous commercials. I swear his voice cracks in front of the camera almost every time." Clark imitated the vocal tones and mannerisms with the last three words, drawing twin cackles of delight from mother and daughter alike.

"Oh stop." Sarah laughed as she walked up to her front door, unlocking it. "I swear, after all those people do for the world, we shouldn't be laughing so much at them."

"Heh. You wouldn't say that once I told you which male super hero has actually worn a thong before." Clark cracked an eye.

"You're making that up!" Laurie insisted as she slapped at his side, even as she held at her own.

"Well enough super heroes for one night." Sarah Lemmon insisted with a tired smile. "It is quite past my bedtime, so I will say good night to both of you."

"Good night mom." Laurie leaned in, giving her mother a hug good night.

"Good night Mrs. Lemmon." Clark was about to lean in for a hug himself, but instead, almost walked right into an outstretched hand. Clark masked his disheartenment at it as he shook her hand good night.

It was a few minutes later, as Laurie went up to her room that Clark headed back out the front door. Standing out in the Lemmon's front yard, he took a second peak with his x-ray vision.

_Perfect._ Both of them were in the house and away from any windows. This wouldn't take long, but he didn't want to disturb them with any explanations.

"I know you've been watching me." Superboy Prime hissed aloud. "And I know you can hear me." Superboy Prime looked up into the night sky, leveling his gaze directly at the moon. "You should have just learned your lesson and left me alone. The Society wouldn't leave me alone either. I had to make them." Superboy Prime's eye glowed red, crimson hate pouring from. "I'll make you too!"

The blast of heat vision, guided by his far seeing telescopic vision, shot straight into the night's sky, and straight for the Justice League Watchtower. Even with his super hearing, he knew that sounds couldn't travel through the void of space. Never the less, he imagined with a satisfied sigh the sound of the so called heroes as they cried out as one for mercy, only to be silenced.

Satisfied, Clark Kent went back inside the house. He was surprised to see Laurie walking down the stairs towards him.

"Hey." He smiled at her. "Left something in your car. Had to…" Clark was cut off as Laurie wrapped her arms around him, her lips pressing into his needingly.

When she finally pulled away from him, a seductive gleam in her eyes, she flashed a set of keys in her hand. "Feel like going for a late night drive?"

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The cool night wind blew across their bare skin as the two lay huddled together, adorned only in a shared beach towel as the breeze off the ocean slowly blew through their wet hair. Laurie huddled close to Clark, the pair sitting together before a bonfire that Clark had 'lit', sharing body heat as they allowed their bodies to dry slowly under the full moon.

Laurie stared out at the beating waves as they continued to pound against the beach, their soft sound utterly entrancing her as she asked in a soft star struck voice "God, how many times did we come here together?"

"Hundreds." Clark answered softly before guessing again "Thousands."

Laurie looked up, casting a disbelieving glance at Clark that the pair both laughed at.

"Ok fine, I think it was nine." Clark amended with a smile as he looked back at the vast ocean before him.

"Twelve."

"Twelve, I knew that. It was twelve times." Clark corrected quickly at Laurie's observation.

Laurie just felt herself rub against Clark's chest within their towel, an overwhelming sense of peace and fulfillment filled every fiber of her being and she wouldn't trade it for the world. "I could stay here for the rest of my life with you."

For a long time, neither said anything as they continued to listen to the waves rolling over the sand before them. Eventually, Laurie couldn't resist looking up at the stars. Without a cloud in sight to obscure her view, Laurie could see every one of them like tiny jewels hung up in the sky for her to simply pluck at her leisure.

"Wow. They really are beautiful."

"Yes they are." Clark agreed in the same soft voice as he looked up Laurie.

Laurie looked back to Clark with a fond tease in her voice as she asked "So, did you get to visit them all like you always wanted."

Clark squinted as he tallied aloud "About a third of them."

At first, Laurie only laughed at Clark's declaration until he looked back down to her.

"Get out."

"It's true." Clark couldn't suppress the wide smirk across his face. "At least of all the ones we can see from here."

It took a few more seconds from the shock to clear away from Laurie's perfect deep eyes before she finally looked back up to the sky. "Ok. Well then tell me about them. What about that one?" She asked as she pointed to a particular star.

"That one?" Clark was sure to align his view with Laurie's finger. "That's nothing. Just a dead rock with a lot of gas and ash."

"Well how about that one then?" Laurie's finger traced across the heavens.

"Ball of ice. Nothing there either."

Laurie gave a small sigh of frustration before scanning for another. "And that one?"

"Hmm. Haven't been there." Clark squinted before his eyes went wide with surprise. "Whoa, and from the looks of it, I don't want to either."

"Oh stop it." Laurie slapped ineffectually at Clark's chest, certain he was just leading her on. "You're just messing with me. Not even Superman can see that far-"

"I'm better than Superman." Superboy Prime declared confidently as he looked deep into her eyes. Laurie just met his gaze and smiled before relaxing back into his gentle grip.

"Well then you pick one. I'm tired of pointing at dead ice balls with gas."

"Ok then." Clark smiled resolutely as he began scanning the heavens. Of the stars and planets that were visible from the naked eye, the choices were remarkable limited. "There." Clark declared in a soft whisper as he pointed to a small, barely visible speck on the heavens. "That one."

"Right there." Laurie tried to point alongside Clark's arm to make sure she was looking at the right one. It was hard to tell if there was even anything there.

"Yeah. That one."

"What's it called?"

"I don't think anyone's named it." Clark mused fondly. "Most of the time, it's not even visible from Earth. The only creatures that live there, or at least the predominant ones, don't even have a language yet. They're kind of like…" Clark searched for the proper description "Monkeys. Like the kind at the zoo, only purple, with no tails. And they're twice as big as the ones at the zoo."

"Do they bite?" Laurie couldn't help the words out of her mouth. She had a thing about monkeys that she was certain Clark would take this opportunity to tease her about.

"No. They're so peaceful." Clark assured in the same soothing tone, his voice indicating that he was clearly back on this strange alien planet. "But the best part is the moons. The planet has seven, three of which are visible for a few seconds at night. And when all three are out…" Clark has to pause as he pondered the best way to describe it. "It's almost as bright as when the sun is out, but everything is lit by moonlight instead of sunlight, and the sky is alight with colors you'd never see in Earth's sky." Clark came back down to Earth, back to this humble beach, and this simple beach towel he was naked and dripping wet in, sharing with Laurie. "It's the second most beautiful sight I've seen in the entire universe."

Laurie had been lost in his story; his words had carried her away to a whole new world that she had never imagined. Now she had returned as he did, only to find herself trapped by his eyes. "I love you." She reached out for him, taking his lips hungrily in her own for no other reason than her own passion. "I love you so much" she whispered again as she reached in for a second, deeper kiss.

The two stayed together for a few more seconds before Laurie felt Clark pull away for a second.

"Wait, wait." Clark held up his index finger, indicating to her to remain still as he moved out of the towel and over to where he had left his clothes.

" Clark, what is it?" Laurie could stare at him in confusion as he hurriedly redressed himself in his pants.

"Just wait right here. I promise I'll be right back." Clark gave no further explanation as he shot straight up into the air, causing a burst of sand to fly across the beach, forcing Laurie to shield herself with her towel.

" Clark! Clark wait." Laurie cried after him, but he was gone. Unsure of what else to do, she took the time to redress herself as well, hoping that he might return by the time she was done. When he did not, she chased up and down the beach aimlessly.

She called out several times more, only able to imagine the reaction she might earn if anyone else happened to come along and see her shouting at the stars. Laurie looked down at her watch, noticing that over fifteen minutes had passed.

Finally she decided to head for the car. Another minute and she would have been gone but the familiar sound of someone soaring through the air caught her attention. Laurie squinted through the night sky to see Clark's familiar frame settle down by the fire.

" Clark!" Laurie slammed the door back closed as she rushed towards him. "God where were you? You scared me half to death."

Clark seemed to pay her no attention, staring intently instead at something clutched tightly in his hand. Laurie watched as the slightly eerie glow of his heat vision shined from his eyes before twin beams shot down through his fingers towards the small object in his hands.

" Clark what are you doing?"

"Laurie, please." He seemed to be exerting considerable concentration as he explained "This is a lot harder than it looks. If I overdo it, it won't come out just… Ah." Clark exclaimed; his heat vision dying as his hand opened into a flat palm. "Perfect."

Small bits of pebble and dust fell away from the center of Clark's palm and revealed a bright blue gleam. Laurie's breath was completely taken away at the sight of the perfect blue jewel in Clark's hand. It was the size of a pebble itself, yet completely flawless and neat, as if professionally cut. It was as if someone had taken a tear from the heavens themselves.

" Clark…" Laurie's breath was lost at the sight. It was absolutely mesmerizing. She had just seen Clark make it using nothing more than crude heat and pressure, yet a hundred professional cutters could work on it for their entire lives and never produce the naturally smooth grooves and texture of the clear gem. "What… what is it?"

"Let's just say you won't find it on any jewelry store on this planet. In fact, if you flash it around in the wrong solar system, some cultures will mistake you for a galactic queen. Or a goddess." Clark waited for Laurie to look back at him. The second she did, her facial expression was all the confirmation he needed. "All I need now is to find a ring for it."

Laurie's shock tripled; a feat she would have sworn impossible. "What?"

Clark took a second to remember his carefully prepared speech. "I spent an eternity without you. I never want to relive even a second of that nightmare again." Clark cupped the brilliant jewel in hand as he knelt down on one knee in front of Laurie. His heart slammed against the innards of his chest, yet he pressed himself on anyway. "Laurie, will you marry me?"

" Clark…" Laurie could barely hear herself speak. "I just found you again. For heaven's sake, I just met you two days ago."

"You've known me all your life." Clark pleaded. "You know me better than anyone."

Laurie couldn't speak. The jewel that Clark had brought back was now barely a speck in the back of her mind. She just looked at Clark who looked back at her, completely frozen. Paralyzed. He waited and waited patiently for her response.

"Yes."

"Yes?" Clark couldn't believe it. Even with super hearing he had to be sure.

"Yes." Laurie knelt down, cupping Clark's face in her gentle hands. He looked like he was about to cry and she was absolutely certain that she would join him.

"I love you." Clark's hands came around her waist, pulling her in for a deep kiss. He felt light as a feather, as if he were walking on air.

As Laurie pulled back from their kiss, she cried out in surprise, grasping for Clark's shoulders as she looked down to see the two of them indeed hovering far above the ground, their simple bonfire a small speck on the beach below them.

"Sorry." Clark apologized into her hair. "I guess you have that effect on me."

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Green Lanterns. The heroes of the Universe. Two for every sector of space, thirty six hundred sectors.

And as far as John Stewart could tell, no less than a quarter of their total numbers now stood, gathered together as an audience before their masters.

The Guardians of the Universe stood together before the assembled Corps. The enormous gathering hall had only been used a few times since Oa's return. Now, it served as a rallying point for thousands of huddled together Lanterns. Rookies and veterans alike could only ask themselves the same question.

"Lanterns!" The Guardian at the lead of the group ushered silence across the assembly with but a single word. "We have received word. The prisoner has been found. The Torchbearer himself confirms the boy's presence in Sector 2814."

The very mention of the word brought hushed whispers to the effect of "Ion!" "The Torchbearer will stop him." "As long as Ion shines, the Green Lantern Corps light will never dull."

The Guardian rose his hand, demanding silence. As soon as the Corps fell silent again, he continued. "At once, all assembled Lanterns are to head to Earth. You will be lead by Sodam Yat."

At this, John Stewart had to raise his eyebrows in surprise. Yat was one of the rookies. One that had distinguished himself with talent and ability rivaling many of the veterans, but a rookie just the same.

"You are to take him alive if it is reasonable practical, but at all costs, his rampage must be stopped." The Guardian instructed. "This prisoner is the most dangerous being in the universe. The Lanterns are authorized the use of excessive force as the situation warrants. Secure any civilians in your path, but the prisoner must be stopped. Good luck."

"Alright Lanterns." Soday Yat cried out, a little too eagerly for John Stewart's taste, as he rose up. The Lanterns flew up together towards the central power battery standing over the assembly area. "Together now! In brightest day…"

John Stewart joined his fellow Lanterns uneasily in reciting their oath as a sick feeling settled into his stomach. The Green Lantern Corps had, for all intents and purposes, declared war on Superboy Prime, and Earth was to be their battlefield.


	6. In Brightest Day

Author's Note: Here we are folks, next chapter for Return of Superboy Prime. I know it's been a while, so I hope this chapter makes up for the wait. As always, write a review and get a response. And enjoy!

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_Stars zoomed by. Planets, moons and suns were as specks in the distance. The cosmos was left in his tread as Superboy Prime flew through the depths of space. He remembered Alex's instructions, reciting them over in his memory as he approached his next destination. The planetoid was just now visible through the unenhanced eye._

_Rann. _

_Just another in a long list of planets. Alex had already explained it, but Superboy Prime had only half been paying attention. Alex's plans were always so longwinded and he took forever going on about them. There was always some lengthy explanation that dragged on and on, testing the already strained limits of Superboy Prime's sanity. Superboy Prime had already sworn to do whatever it took to bring back his loved ones, why couldn't Alex just accept that? Why couldn't he just shut up for once and say 'push the planet here'? _

_Superboy Prime never gave the matter another thought as he continued on, straight for the planet's surface, his mission burning in his mind. Of course, he knew what this mission would mean for the planets that had been selected. Alex wanted this particular planet pushed into orbit around Thanagar. Such an action would doubtlessly destroy the ecosystems of both worlds. _

_For a second, Superboy Prime paused, his speed slowing. He had to wonder what his parents would think if they could see him now. What would Laurie think? So far, he had limited himself to dead worlds, gas giants, moons, but this… There were people on that planet. On both Rann and Thanagar. _

_It wasn't too late. He caught himself rationalizing as he lost speed. He could just head back now. Return through the doorway he had opened in the Crystal Dimension. Find Lois and Superman and explain to them. Make them understand. _

_But they never listened to him. Not really. Whenever he wanted to try and talk to them, Superman would always politely dismiss him so he could tend to Lois, which would cause Lois to get upset and the two would start fighting over the issue. And in the end, Superman would talk, but only to make Lois happy. Neither of them understood. And Alex was never really any help either. Sure, he wanted to get out of that miserable hell just as badly, but he wasn't much fun to talk too. And whenever he did, he always talked down to Superboy Prime. It was obvious that Alex thought he was smarter than him. _

_A new resolve burned through Superboy Prime as he flew straight for the surface of Rann. He had nothing back at the Crystal Dimension. That place was a prison, and the people in there weren't his friends, just his fellow inmates. He wanted his real friends; he wanted his real family, his real home. And he would have it. And if that meant tearing the very universe apart… then so be it._

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"I know you've been watching me." Superboy Prime's voice hissed aloud over the Watchtower's speakers. "And I know you can hear me." Superboy Prime looked up, a chill emanating through the entire room as his eyes seemed to stare directly into the monitor, and the crowd of gathered heroes who had, until now, been spying on him with restrained anxiousness. "You should have just learned your lesson and left me alone. The Society wouldn't leave me alone either. I had to make them." Superboy Prime's eye glowed red, crimson hate glowing from them. "I'll make you too!"

"Look out!" Superman cried.

"Everyone, get to the teleporters!" Batman ordered.

"There's no time!" The Martian Manhunter insisted.

Desperation filled the last seconds of the Justice League and Justice Society, until Ion acted. Raising his hands outward at an angle as a bright emerald light emanated from the emblem in his chest, enveloping the entire room and all those in it. Those few heroes who had shielded their eyes reflexively looked up to see that they now stood huddled together in an emerald bubble. Outside the bubble was nothing. Nothing but swirling green light as far as the eye could see.

"Where are we?" Wonder Woman asked cautiously.

"We're in a pocket dimension." Hal Jordan responded as understanding slowly dawned on him. "Just like the ones most Lanterns store their batteries in."

Ion just smirked rather humbly at Hal's glance. "Sorry. It just seemed like the best option."

"So… now what?" Flash asked cautiously, still a little uncomfortable with just what had transpired. "We're not stuck here are we?"

"No. I can bring us back out right through the same portal that I opened to bring us in here."

"...which would drop us right out in what used to be the Watchtower." Alan Scott continued in understanding.

"Yes." Ion answered back.

"Right where he is looking for us." Martian Manhunter concluded aloud.

There was an uncomfortable pause as Ion's voice fell like a ton of bricks. "Yeah."

"So now what?" Flash asked.

"We wait." Superman declared.

"For how long?"

"Until he's not looking for us anymore." Batman declared.

"How long will that be?"

Ion received no answer. Or at least, not one that he was comfortable with as the assorted heroes looked to within the confine of the bubble for the most comfortable way of settling in.

"Anyone grab any snacks?" Plastic Man asked, receiving only more silence for a response. "Videos? Dirty magazines? Pong even?"

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A sudden snap brought Laurie Lemmon back into the waking world. She looked around to find herself still in bed, next to Clark. Or rather, still in the basement couch that folded out into a bed.

Laurie took a moment to look at the time indicated on her watch.

Five thirty in the morning. Laurie's eye jumped at this. She'd only met to rest her eyes as she lay down last night in Clark's arms, the two bathing in one another's presence after his proposal.

Looking over, she saw that Clark was still fast asleep. He had such a peaceful expression on his face, and Laurie longed for nothing more than to curl back into his arms and go back to sleep.

Unfortunately, she reminded herself, that was a luxury that was probably best left for after they left her mother's house. After all, Laurie hadn't exactly explained to her mother that she and Clark were sleeping together and while her mother, being a reasonably intelligent woman, might have already guessed as much, it was still a discussion that she would rather save for another time. Preferably until after she figured some way to bring around the discussion to the topic of her recent engagement.

Even as Laurie got up from the bed, taking the greatest of care not to disturb Clark, she couldn't help but sneak over to where she had left her pants, reaching into the pocket and retrieving the small jewel that Clark had made for her. Laurie felt herself absolutely mesmerized as she held it. True, it still needed a ring, but what a rock!

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"How longs it been now?"

"Two minutes since the last time you asked." Martian Manhunter calculated aloud at Plastic Man's question.

"It's been several hours." Batman announced to the assembled heroes. "We have to chance he's not looking for us."

A few murmurs and mumblings of agreement followed before Ion raised his arms once more, enveloping the group in emerald light yet again. When the light cleared, the party was still enveloped by an emerald bubble, but now stood floating in the remnants of the devastated Watchtower. The entire place looked like it had been hit by a bomb, which was really not much of a stretch. There were no lights save for those of the fires that still burned. Outside, the atmospheric shield still held, but at weakened levels, while all around, wrecked and smoldering equipment banks continued to litter the area.

"And we just got done repainting." The Flash commented in mock mourning, in an attempt to elevate the mood.

"I was rather fond of the new cafeteria." The Martian Manhunter admitted.

"There's nothing here for us." Batman decided as he surveyed the wreckage. "We need to move on."

"To where?" Power Girl asked.

"We need to get to the teleporters" was the only response that Batman gave.

A few minutes later and the group had found that the teleporter banks of the Watchtower were still indeed functional, though it was doubtful that they would remain as such for longer than another day or so.

Batman proceeded to program a very specific set of coordinates, coordinates which, for those who noticed, were underground. One by one, the assorted heroes found themselves transported inside a bunker of some kind. Cool metal walls surrounded them within a well designed control room, complete with three large monitors and a set of controls before them.

"Where are we?" The Flash asked.

"Several miles outside Metropolis." The Batman answered back as he moved to the only chair before the control consoles. "In an emergency JLA bunker I had built just shortly after the last Crisis ended. Here, we're completely shielded, even from his senses. And more importantly, he doesn't know about this place."

"Where is he now?" Superman asked.

"Right where we left him." Batman pulled up the appropriate images on the monitors before him.

"Then this is our chance." Wonder Woman declared with cautious optimism. "If he thinks we're dead, then we can surprise him."

"Yes!" Power Girl slammed her fists together eagerly. "A surprise attack. The rest of us can keep him at bay while Ion uses the virus."

"No." Batman responded intently. "The virus is a long term solution. It will nullify his ability to convert solar energy, but it won't drive out the charge he's already absorbed, like red sunlight."

"It's too dangerous to attack him directly." Superman observed. "He's too strong, even for all of us combined. And if he thinks he cornered, there's no telling what he might do. He could unleash another shock wave like he did in Metropolis."

"He could destroy the entire Earth." Wonder Woman followed Superman's line of thought. "There's no telling how long it would take to exhaust his charge of stored energy in a direct fight."

"Sun Tzu advocated winning without fighting." Batman said. "He believed an army should win its victory first before ever going into battle."

"We won't need to confront him directly in order to inject the retrovirus." Martian Manhunter reasoned. "It can be applied indirectly."

"It could be mixed with his food. Or inhaled." The Batman observed. "He'd never suspect a thing."

"Ever since arriving in Maine, he's been nothing but passive." Superman continued. "If we infected him today, it could take him a week to slowly burn through his charge without ever realizing anything."

"Then we just stroll right in and pick him up like the spoiled brat he is." Power Girl was beginning to see the wisdom of this plan. While it lacked the more immediate violence she had shamefully been hoping for, the image of listening to Superboy Prime go on and on about how special he was as she dangled him helplessly upside down by one leg appealed to her even more.

"Hal! Hal!" A voice cried out, broadcasted across Green Lantern's ring. "This is John, do you read me?"

"John, this is Hal." GL guessed from the urgency in his fellow Lantern's voice that he'd been trying to reach him through their rings for some time now, but that he'd been unsuccessful with the entire group safely tucked away in Ion's private pocket dimension.

"Hal, we've got a big problem."

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Laurie's nose sniffed at the air as she once again returned to the waking world, this time within her own bed. A second, deeper sniff caused her to bolt up within her bed at the smell.

Hurriedly throwing on her sweat pants, she rushed downstairs, straight for the kitchen where smoke slowly but steadily poured out. Laurie waved her hand to protect her face as she entered to see Clark fussing over a pan spewing flames.

" Clark, what did you do?" Laurie cried out, careful not to shout too loudly as she hurried over to find a large towel or a heavy lid to smother the flames with.

"Nothing!" Clark insisted frantically. "I was just cooking."

Laurie ignored his comment as she frantically grabbed a kitchen mat and used it to beat back the flames. So distracted was she by this that she was only barely able to notice Clark grabbing an empty coffee pot and hurriedly filling it up with cold water. "No, Clark! No water. That'll just…" Flames leapt up into the air as the cold water hit the pan, sizzling and doubling the amount of smoke. "Make things worse."

Clark examined the uncontrolled mess that was to have been breakfast for a panicked second longer before sighing. "Aw, the heck with it." A quick puff of super breath later and the flames had been completely extinguished, leaving the contents of the pan, ruined eggs and bacon, frozen together in one hard, solid mass that Laurie was able to pick up in her hand.

Letting out a long sigh and a deep glare, Laurie turned to see a nervous Clark sporting a very 'deer-in-the-headlights' look on his face.

"I bet you're wondering what happened." Clark hypothesized anxiously, knowing full well that he was so dead. "So uh, funny story actually, by the way have I mentioned how pretty you look in the morning because now seems like a good time." He let out a nervous laugh which Laurie did not return. "So anyway, you were sleeping…"

"Yes I was." Laurie huffed as she blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"…And I thought" Clark didn't miss a beat "that it would be really romantic if I did some of that 'future husband' stuff, like make you breakfast in bed." He tried to smile; only to have what confidence he could muster shot down by Laurie's glance. "Anyway, here's where things went wrong, and this wasn't my fault, your hair looks really pretty by the way…"

"You used your heat vision, didn't you?"

Clark's lips slammed shut. Caught red handed in the act, his mouth somehow managed to protest, however meekly, in his own defense "… not at first."

Laurie just rolled her eyes as she discarded the lump of frozen breakfast in the trash. Reaching over to a nearby cabinet, she pulled out a box of cereal and poured its contents into a bowl before walking up to Clark, handing him the bowl.

"What's this?" Clark asked as he tried to guess at Laurie's game.

"Breakfast." Laurie cracked a small smile as she leaned to within inches of his face. "Much easier to make."

Clark just sighed with a smile at this. "It's not as romantic as eggs and bacon."

"True." Laurie chuckled softly. "But it's still way better than setting the kitchen on fire."

Clark gave a soft laugh of his own as he took the bowl from Laurie's hands. Laurie, however, immediately turned to where Clark had left the eggs and retrieved one for herself. "Now, let me show you how to do this."

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"…and there may be just under two hundred of us." John Stewart, Green Lantern, continued to explain even as he and his partner in crime fighting, Guy Gardner, flew with this aforementioned army. "The Guardians have pretty much ordered us to bring him in by any means necessary."

Back in the Justice League's underground bunker, Hal turned up in horror to the other super heroes assembled as he spoke back into his ring. "John, get them to call it off. The Lanterns are walking into a slaughter. The League has a plan, but we need to keep the boy docile for the time being."

"What plan?" Guy Gardner asked, as he'd been listening in to the conversation.

"We don't have time for this." Back in the Watchtower, Batman had stepped directly up before Ion. "You need to get up there and get the Lanterns to call off this attack. If you can't, there's no telling what kind of damage he'll do. And if he decides to retreat from Earth, we may never get another shot at him."

Ion was left speechless. He didn't know how to react.

"Kyle." Hal's voice brought Kyle Rayner back to attention. "Go to the Guardians. The Lanterns are just following orders. You need get them to call this off. You're the only one that they will listen too."

"You're kidding, right?" If this was a joke, Ion wasn't laughing as he insisted "I can't just walk right into the Guardian's citadel and start issuing orders. And you know I don't like doing this kind of thing; cutting ahead of every other Lantern just because I don't wear a ring anymore."

For a brief moment, Batman's voice seemed to calm. As much as the Dark Knight had the ability to freeze the blood of both enemies and friends alike, there was an almost paternal quality to it as he said "You can do this. We're asking a lot of you, but you can do this. Otherwise a lot of people are going to die."

Ion let out a soft gulp. No big deal. All he had to do was go straight to Oa, go to the Guardian's of the Universe, stare them down, and tell them to call off their Corps, of which he felt less and less like a member of these days, so that they wouldn't be slaughtered and the Earth might not be destroyed in the process, and all because Batman told him too.

"Ok." His voice did not exactly cry of confidence. Never the less, Ion took a step back, gathering himself even as a bright green glow surrounded his entire frame.

A second later, he was gone.

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On the planet of Oa, the Guardians of the Universe stood watching. Immortal and arguably all-powerful, the Guardians also prided themselves as being beyond emotions. They watched over the universe impassively, concerned with the greater order of the universe, its safety and protection.

Now, as they floated together within their great hall, the monitors before them displaying images of their army as they approached Earth, each one could not help but to feel a collected sense of anxiousness. Each and every one of them remained silent, as they had for the past several minutes.

The green burst of light interrupted their collected musings as a familiar image materialized within the great room. The sight instantly caught the attention of every Guardian assembled.

"Call them off." Ion warned. "They're walking into a slaughter. You have to stop them."

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"Laurie." Mrs. Lemmon called out as she fussed with the hassle of finding her keys. "Laurie!"

"In here mom." Laurie called back as she sat on the couch in front of the TV, wrapped in the arms of her boyfriend and fiancée, although the pair still had yet to figure out a way to break the news to Laurie's mom. "You ready to go?"

"Sorry hon, but the store needs me in for a few hours." Sarah Lemmon relayed regretfully as she continued to search up and down the kitchen for her keys.

"Mom! You said you'd have the day off." Laurie shouted back.

"I know, I know," Mrs. Lemmon called back as she began moving assorted jars and small boxes around in frustration. "But the day manager I had covering my shift had a blowout with one of her tires and the junior manager can't handle the store by himself. They just need me in for an hour or two tops."

"Look behind the sugar bowl." Clark Kent called out in the middle of the conversation.

"Sugar bowl? What's he…" Sarah Lemmon's private mutterings were cut off as a familiar set of keys lay behind the very bowl in question. Sarah never gave the odd matter a second thought as she gratefully retrieved her keys, walking out into the living room. "Don't worry; I'll be off by noon. We can have lunch together."

"Ooh, we have to go to the Cow's Hide. They have the best burgers ever." Clark eagerly interjected.

Laurie winced at Clark's slip of the tongue even as she pointed out " Clark, the Cow's Hide closed almost three years ago."

"It did?" Clark asked, crestfallen.

"How did you know about the Cow's Hide?" Sarah Lemmon asked, a hint of suspiciousness suddenly catching both Clark and Laurie visibly off guard.

"Laurie told me about it." Clark answered quickly, both disarming and alarming Laurie with the casualness with which he seemed to be able to lie to Laurie's mother about his past. "She talked it up so much from her childhood; I just had to try it."

"Well, the place that opened up shortly after it closed is about two blocks away. It's not as good, but it's not too bad either." Sarah shrugged as she headed straight for the door. "Meet me there at about a quarter after twelve?"

"Sounds great." Laurie couldn't help but smile at the thought of it. Just a whole day with her mother and her fiancée. No more worries or cares about whether or not she might make it to her next meal, no more having to look over her shoulder for a boyfriend who could at any moment decide to take out his frustrations on her face. Instead, she was at home, with a boyfriend and now future husband who knew her as well as a childhood friend, which strangely enough, he was too. Someone who could and would protect her no matter what happened to her and would stand by her through anything. She at last had her cake, and she savored every blissful morsel.

"Bye." Clark Kent called out as Sarah Lemmon hurried out the front door, shutting it behind her. Leaving the pair alone, Clark turned back to the television set and the program the two had been watching as he explained "I don't get this show."

"What's not to get?" Laurie looked back at him incredulously. "This show's great."

"Oh come on." Clark argued. "The animation sucks for one thing."

"Well that's part of what makes it so cool." She insisted.

"Cool? It's horrible. Just a bunch of fart and toilet jokes. I'd rather watch the Smurfs."

"The Smurfs?!" Laurie looked at him in sheer disbelief. " Clark, the Smurfs haven't been popular for decades. It's the new millennium, and if you're going to live in it with the rest of us, you're going to have to keep up with the shows."

"What, like this?" Clark argued back, his tone still playful if disbelieving. "The one fat kid keeps making fun of that other kid for being Jewish. And what's up with that one kid in the orange coat always getting killed?"

"It's called 'a running joke'. And besides, it's just a TV show. You sound like my mom."

"Well, she is a very smart…" A soft cry off in the distance echoed within Clark Kent's super sensitive ears, causing him to drop the conversation as he looked up with concern. His eyes scanned intently for a moment before widening with terror.

" Clark, what is it?" Laurie asked, recognizing all too well the look on her fiancée's face.

"Laurie, get down!" Clark Kent moved in a blur of super speed, off the couch, and directly into the center of the living room, diverting it away as a heavy, emerald blast tore through the Lemmon's living room. Wood, plaster and brick tore up like twigs as the force hit Clark head on, knocking him right through the back wall and straight out the other side of the house.

"We found you, murderer." Laurie turned at the sound of the voice as a strange, rocked skinned creature boring an unusual green uniform, bearing an obvious glowing green ring flew through the new hole in her house, accompanied by four other strange beings. Each one reminded her of an alien from some cheap movie or comic as they entered. "It is time for you to answer for your sins."

"Secure the female." As the second, a purple skinned being with four arms and a host of tentacles where its mouth and chin should have been seemed to speak, the third, a female, oddly human looking but with a much deeper tanned skin and three eyes, the third of which seemed to come out of her forehead, extended her own ring outward, creating an emerald bubble which scooped up Laurie and slowly pulled her out of her own living room. "No pedestrians are to be hurt today. Get her and the other clear."

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" The cry was punctuated by a pair of crimson beams that shot through the hole leading into the backyard. The beams cut through the three aliens like a hot knife through butter as all three fell to the floor of Laurie's living room, dead.

The fourth, a pink skinned, almost pig like brute, starred horrified at his fallen comrades for a second before turning up. Laurie followed his line of sight to see Clark, standing in her backyard through the hole in the wall, now adorned in his Superboy costume, his eyes glowing intently.

"Murderer!" The Lantern cried as he raised his glowing ring. "Monster!"

"You started this." Superboy Prime's hand appeared at the Green Lantern's throat, lifting him off the floor, gasping for air. "Now, it's on."

A quick snap, a loud crack, and the alien fell to the floor, lifeless along with his comrades. Superboy Prime paid little mind as the assorted emerald rings began to glow once more as they flew off the dead fingers of their previous owners and off, through the hole in the house, and into the air.

"Heh. Out with the old, in with the new. And they said I was cold." Superboy Prime looked over the bodies of the four Green Lanterns before turning back to Laurie. "Are you ok?"

Laurie, too stunned to react properly, could only nod weakly.

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Sarah Lemmon had barely made it out of her driveway before she had felt her car stutter and shake. At first, she could only sigh at the thought of a breakdown on today of all days, until she felt the vehicle actually lift itself up off the ground. Looking out her window, she watched her car slowly rise further and further into the air, the street below shrinking as a strange emerald glow seemed to encompass her car.

That was when she saw it. The glow seemed to come from a stray beam of some sort that Sarah traced back to… well whatever it was. Some kind of odd, blue skinned creature that reminded her slightly of a bear, only much smaller, adorned in some kind of green uniform, directed a strange glowing ring at her car.

"Let me down! Please. Help!" Sarah Lemmon cried out, yet the alien either didn't regard her or didn't care. The matter became mute half a minute later when twin crimson beams shot out, incinerating the strange green being in the blink of an eye. For a second, she cried out as felt her car go into a freefall, only to be caught by… something.

Sarah hadn't been ready for any of this, and she certainly wasn't ready for what came next. Looking toward the front of her car, she saw a familiar face try to smile at her reassuringly even as he seemed to brace her car and its weight within his hands, slowly lowering her to the ground from over a hundred feet in the air.

"It's alright Mrs. Lemmon." Clark insisted with a confident smile, adorned in an all too iconic blue and red costume. "I've got you."

"Cl…Clar…" but she was too stunned to speak, even as Clark lowered her back down to her own driveway. Sarah Lemmon wasn't even able to open the car door, leaving Clark to hurriedly extend that courtesy.

"Mom!" Laurie cried out, rushing up and embracing her mother as Sarah continued to gap in shock.

Mother and daughter alike pulled away before turning to him. Superboy Prime looked back at them both, ashamed and embarrassed.

Then at once, the anxiousness was replaced by determination as Clark looked up at the sky. Sarah and Laurie both looked up as well to see a hoard of emerald specks descend from the sky all across their small town.

"Laurie, get your mother out of here." Superboy Prime instructed. "Go find some place safe. I'll take care of this."

As Superboy Prime turned back to the women, he watched Laurie nod in understanding. But before he could turn away from her, she couldn't help but to rush up to him and press her lips desperately against his.

"Be careful." She whispered.

Clark Kent smiled at her for a short second before assuring "I'll be fine." The pair turned back to Sarah Lemmon, who continued to stare at them with a look of astonishment. "Uhmm, I should probably go."

With that, Superboy Prime bolted into the air, leaving Laurie with the oh-so diplomatic task of fabricating an explanation for Laurie's mom.

"Oh man." Superboy Prime muttered to himself as he flew. "This secret identity stuff is harder to keep up than I thought."

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"Blast it!" Sodam Yat cursed as he led his Corps into action, the small human town unfolding before him. "I ordered Sokar and his group to do some basic recon and get an assessment of his awareness, not attack him by themselves."

"Sodam?" A fellow Lantern asked off to his side.

"The five went straight after him." Yat explained with dismay. "And apparently, set him off."

"But how can you know that?" The Lantern indicated to their height, and the distance away from the town. From here, the small human settlement seemed little more like a miniature model.

"I saw it!" Sodam Yat answered obviously. "Didn't you?" Yat received only a blank stare from his fellow Lantern. "Never mind." Sodam Yat dismissed the matter entirely as he signaled to the Corps. "Everyone, you know your jobs. Let's do it!"

It was decided before the attack that, at all costs, the boy could not be allowed to escape. All efforts would be taken to avoid any and all civilian casualties, but the boy could not flea the planet so long as it could be prevented. To that end, Sodam Yat had decided to seal the entire area of the engagement in a solid emerald dome, maintained by at least two dozen Green Lanterns. The rest of the force would engage the boy while isolating and evacuating the citizenry, but no matter what happened, no one but Green Lanterns would get in, and nobody but those they selected would get out.

As the Lanterns focused their rings, the emerald dome began to form over and encase the entire human town beneath, from the sky above, to the ground beneath it, in a completely sealed enclosure.

Satisfied that this would have to be enough, Sodam signaled to the pre-selected Lanterns to maintain the shield. As they did, the rest of the force readied themselves, moving through the emerald barrier as easily as air as they approached the town below.

Before Sodam Yat could cry warning to his comrade next to him, a burst of super breath shot up, freezing four Green Lanterns into frozen statues. They never had a chance to fall before a bolt of red and blue shattered them mercilessly to pieces.

"You shouldn't have come here!" Superboy Prime cried out as he tackled another Green Lantern, grabbing it by its limbs and tearing it literally in half. "I'd have left you alone. It's not like I care about any of you anyway."

"You've committed crimes against the known universe." Sodam Yat cried back, even as he and a dozen other Green Lantern's rings came to life, firing emerald blasts at the figure before them. "You don't get to walk away and hide from that."

"Who's hiding?" Superboy Prime swatted with his hand, dissipating the blasts as they struck his might fist. "I'm right here; come and get me."

"Gladly." Sodam Yat answered as the rest of his Lanterns poured on Superboy Prime.

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On the street below, a panicked populace looked up at a sight that they simply couldn't begin to fathom. The entire mid-day sky had become painted jade, while flashes of red and orange danced back and forth. On the ground below, Laurie and her mother could only look up at guess at the significance of the interplay of color above them.

"Laurie, what in god's name is going on?"

"I… I don't know." Laurie admitted as her mind drifted back to Metropolis, and the attack by the Teen Titans. And then, as now, she suspected there was more going on than she knew; more than Clark was telling her.

" Clark, he's… he's…" Sarah Lemmon could scarcely say the words.

"He's Superboy." Laurie confessed guiltily as she imagined her mother's look boring into the back of her head. "I know. He, he saved my life."

Sarah Lemmon seemed to nod however slightly in acceptance. "He's not a lawyer."

"Mom!"

"I'm just saying."

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"This isn't working." Superman looked on with dismay at the images displayed before him of the small New England town now contained and transformed into a battlefield. "Batman's option is no longer available to us."

"You have to get down there." Batman directed to Superman and the other heroes. "Back up the Lanterns. We need to get Ion back here."

"Ion can catch up." Wonder Woman said as she ran straight for the teleporters. "The Lanterns need backup now! Everyone with me."

One by one, the heroes all followed Wonder Woman's lead. With only three teleporter banks in the facility, Wonder Woman, Superman and Power Girl were the first through. Each felt the familiar sensation of their molecules being taken apart and then reassembled miles away.

As they rematerialized, the three could see the bright emerald dome off in the distance. Without hesitating, they all flew together in the same direction towards the barrier.

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Across the universe, the Green Lantern Corps are regarded as the greatest heroes of the universe. The very sight of an emerald bolt across the night sky is cause for celebration on some worlds. Even on Earth, the legendary heroism of these noble warriors of the cosmos is not lost.

But Earth has plenty heroes of its own, and for the more homespun inhabitants of Smallvile, Maine, the sight of hundreds of strange, alien beings glowing green and flying across the city, scooping everyone from children playing on the sidewalk to men and women at work, all the while their town remained engulfed in a bright green dome, could be seen in only one possible light.

At one of the local steel factories, a worker by the name of Mark Walters was just getting ready to sign out for lunch. With less than three minutes remaining, all he could think of was the delicious hero's sandwich his wife had made him.

That was when the strange, humanoid creature with birdlike features on its face had burst through the factory window.

"You are not safe here. You must come with me." Tarnak Rumanee had been a Lantern for only a few months. Although not surprised, he had been disappointed that he had been selected among the ranks of Lanterns responsible for clearing away civilians from the field of battle. Needless to say, he was probably rougher than was absolutely necessary as he quickly, and without warning, used his ring to gather up the factory workers in a series of emerald bubbles and flew them out of the factory.

"Hey, let us out of here!" Mark cried, inciting the same defiant attitude within his co-workers as they cried out angrily at their would-be savior. "Let us down." "…wanna fight?" "…hell do you want with us?" "… drop this bubble and I'll show you how a real man fights."

"Put them down!" The cry was followed by a bright crimson flash that cut right across the sky. The Green Lantern was incinerated as if he had never even been, leaving his ring to fly off like a small emerald insect.

The emerald bubbles containing the factory workers immediately dissipated, leaving gravity's pull to do its job. Every one of the hundred plus workers immediately fell screaming to the ground beneath.

One by one, the screaming stopped as a red and blue blur tore across the sky, the people vanishing in its wake, only to reappear safely and unharmed on the ground below.

Mark patted his sides and frame, eager to confirm that he was still in one piece before looking up.

"You folks alright?" Mark would have sworn he was looking at the famous Superman, but his size was all wrong. This… super boy looked down on them determinedly before his attention was drawn elsewhere.

Mark's gaze immediately followed the young man's line of sight to see dozens more of the glowing emerald aliens flying right at him. The Superboy's gaze merely darkened as he flew off, right at them.

"Get 'em!" Mark cried out, to the cheer of his fellow workers as they cried on in support. "Show those green freaks whose planet this is."

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"This is all wrong." Guy declared in dismay as he and John Stewart flew over the tiny Maine hometown turned into intergalactic warzone. Prime's speed made him impossible to keep up with, even within the contained area, and already, he was using his superior flight to pick off Lanterns trying to evacuate the citizenry. Cries and screaming reached high into the air. Flashes of crimson and emerald marked the sky here and there, and the panic that Batman had predicted had all but consumed the general population.

"Guy, you're not going to believe this." John Stewart shared in his friend's disbelief. "I'm listening to the police dispatch and private radio chatter. The local authorities…" John could scarcely believe the words coming out of his own mouth "they think it's an attack by the Green Lanterns. They think the Superboy is trying to save them."

Guy's eyes went wide before crying into his ring. "Kyle!"

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"You have to let us help." Wonder Woman argued insistently as she and several other heroes, with more continuing to arrive, floated outside the emerald barrier, facing down a Green Lantern with an unusual 'V' shaped head, assorted tusks along the sides of his head and purple skin to complete the ensemble.

"I am sorry." The Green Lantern in question, Salaak, responded with a slightly less than haughty demeanor. "This is a Green Lantern matter. We are under orders from the Guardians."

"You're after your prisoner, the boy, correct?" Superman asked, trying his best to remember his diplomatic tone. "He's on Earth, which makes him a matter for the Justice League. We're here to lend assistance."

"The Green Lanterns are sworn to protect life throughout the universe." Salaak reminded with an edge to his voice that absolutely infuriated Wonder Woman. "That includes Earth."

"We know that." Power Girl managed to utter through gritted teeth.

"They will do all within their power to contain this threat. But they cannot be distracted by… outside interference." Salaak voice had long gone from officious to condescending. "We can not afford any more distractions on the field of battle. This is our affair, let us mind it."

"I'll mind…" Power Girl's fist was restrained as Superman caught it within his grasp.

"We are friends of the Green Lantern corps. Check with Guy Gardner and John Stewart." Superman insisted.

"We are well aware of the Earthmen's associations." Salaak was obviously not impressed. "But the Earth men are not in charge of this operation."

"Well then who is?" Wonder Woman asked, rapidly approaching the limits of her patience.

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"So, who the heck are you anyway?" Superboy Prime asked, directing his question to the leader of the Lantern attack, even as he shattered several emerald constructs attacking him, all the while another half dozen or so more Lanterns closed on him.

"Sodam Yat, Green Lantern of Sector 1760." Yat focused his ring's power along with the rest of his comrades, emerald bolts continuing to hammer at Superboy Prime, who seemed to just shrug them off.

"Fancy title." Superboy Prime sneered as he let loose with another blast of heat vision. Yat and his comrades were engulfed by the wide spread beams, apparently incinerating every last one of them. "I'll carve them into your tombstone for you."

Prime's smirk was interrupted as a super strong fist grabbed at his throat. Though not enough force to actually choke his lungs, Superboy Prime was nonetheless clearly surprised as he saw Yat, his uniform mostly burned away and small scorch marks on his skin but otherwise unharmed, staring Superboy Prime down with red glaring eyes. "Sodam Yat of Sector 1760; reporting for further duty."

At first, Superboy Prime could scarcely believe the sight before him. But disbelief quickly melted into amusement. "Oh, you're fun. A toy that doesn't break as soon as I play with it."

"Play with this." Sodam Yat never knew how he did it. He only felt the enormous furnace of heat building and building behind his eyes. On command, twin beams shot out of his eyes, burning into Superboy Prime's cheek. Though the attack was barely enough to mark his skin, it caused his eyes to widen with shock.

"You… you have heat vision." Superboy Prime whispered in a hushed awe. He was so distracted by the sight, that it gave Yat the chance he needed to bring his ring right into Superboy Prime's face, unleashing the full force of his willpower into his opponent. Yet as the smoke cleared, Superboy Prime appeared physically unharmed, and fuming mad. "How can you have heat vision?!"

Superboy Prime's fist crashed down into Sodam Yat, sending him hurtling towards the ground. Yat's ring could barely overcome his inertia enough to slow his impact. He crashed down into the street beneath him, surprised to find himself a little stiff from the fall, but otherwise relatively unharmed, at least from the fall. Just what was happening to him anyway?

"HOW CAN YOU HAVE HEAT VISION?" Superboy Prime came crashing down, feet first, on top of Sodam Yat, knocking him further into the concrete beneath him. "You're not from Krypton. You can't be."

"I never said I was." Sodam Yat gritted his teeth as he lunged up. A new strength he had never before known in his life coursed through him as he powered through with a solid uppercut straight into Superboy Prime's chin, knocking him back into the air. "Sector 1760; home of planet Daxam."

"Daxam?" Superboy Prime steadied himself in the air with his own power of flight, coming to a halt as Sodam Yat flew right at him. Yat dove straight at him with the fury of a missile, his fist heading squarely for Superboy Prime's jaw, only to be caught within Superboy Prime's hand, a sizeable shockwave emanating from the impact alone. "Oh, I get it. You're just a wannabe. A Superman wannabe with a Green Lantern ring."

Superboy Prime's fist smashed into Yat, knocking him with a thunderous shock back into the ground, tearing up concrete and dirt as he flew headlong into the very cemetery that only a day prior Superboy Prime had visited with Laurie.

"That's why the Guardian's picked you, isn't it?" Superboy Prime appeared as Sodam Yat's side faster than he could possibly recover. Prime's fists crashed again and again into Yat's face, pummeling him senseless into the ground beneath, each punch creating another shockwave and another and another, knocking up dirt and grass. "Anywhere else and you're just another Lantern, but on Earth, under a yellow sun, you're an all star."

Superboy Prime grabbed Sodam Yat by the leg, throwing him up into the air, only to slam him back down into the ground. And again, and again, and again.

"Well guess what all star; you lost. You lost bad." Superboy Prime grabbed the battered and beaten Lantern by the throat, holding him up as he spoke. "And I'm going to let you live, so that you always remember this moment, and how bad I beat you."

"Let him go!" The cry in the distance was punctuated by four separate emerald blasts that knocked Superboy Prime off, even as another beam seemed to grab the wounded Sodam Yat in hand.

Superboy Prime was sent tumbling through tombstone after tombstone as he spun out of control across the otherwise still graveyard, finally coming to a stop with his head down in the grasp.

"Ok." He admitted as he pulled himself up, shaking the dirt and sand from his mussed up hair. "That tickled."

Superboy Prime was about to turn towards the Green Lanterns when his telescopic vision caught sight of something that took his breath away.

"No." He whispered in horror.

In his second of hesitation, emerald beams poured down on his distracted figure, pounding him into the ground with overwhelming force. The regrouped Lanterns poured on as Superboy Prime burst out of the ground with a roar of anger and rage. Yet instead of attacking, he flew right past them.

He saw it. He'd been here before and he'd never even thought to look for it. He came to an abrupt halt less than forty feet away from where he'd fallen, dropping to his knees at the sight.

_Jerome Norton Kent And Naomi Clarke Kent._ The tombstone read. _At Peace Together._

"No. Please no." Soft tears poured down Clark Kent's face as he felt helpless, paralyzed at the sight.

More beams pounded into him without warning, yet he fought, not against his attackers, but merely to keep the tombstone in his sights.

"No." Superboy Prime felt himself reach out to the slab of rock with his parent's names immortalized in them even as emerald bubbles encircled him, trying to lift him away. Superboy Prime barely noticed. He just punched at them, smashing them as he walked on wobbly legs towards the grave. "Mom. Dad."

Attack after attack continued to beat into him. The sheer force of each strike was enough to knock up dirt and grass beneath him and pound him into the ground below, but he would not relent. He just pressed on. Desperate to hold them again. Desperate to see them again.

On and on the attacks came. Beating him, wearing him down. Whether from the Green Lanterns or not, he felt an overwhelming weight pulling him down. How he longed to give in. To fade into that same oblivion that should have claimed him along with his life.

And then, a flash of brown hair appeared before his mind's eye. A friendly voice spoke his name as a warm palm touched him, helping him, sharing the burden with him.

"No." Superboy Prime snarled as emerald beams formed a constrictive containment cell all around his body, his eyes glowing with a deep red rage. "No!"

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"You have to call it off!" Ion declared passionately. His emerald aura displayed his urgency to the Guardian's quite clearly.

"We cannot remain idle." One of the Guardians argued before Ion and his fellow immortals. "The boy is a threat to all life across the universe. He must be stopped."

"The League has a plan to stop him." Ion insisted. "But that plan won't work if you sacrifice half the corps turning Earth into a battlefield."

"The Lanterns are aware of their responsibilities." Another Guardian affirmed. "They are all well trained and capable. They will do all within their power to protect life anywhere in the universe, even on Earth." The Guardian raised an eyebrow at this to emphasize his point.

"They're being slaughtered." Ion cried angrily. The Guardians were absolutely infuriating. They stood calmly and confidently while their loyal soldiers were being massacred and hundreds of innocent people were being caught in the crossfire. "The League and Earth's heroes can stop him. They just need a chance. You can give them that chance."

"Brothers, perhaps we should heed the torchbearer's advice." Ion was relieved to hear the voice of Ganthet speak in his defense. "The champions of Earth have proven themselves beyond all doubt time and time again. Perhaps a little faith in their abilities is not unreasonable."

"Faith?" Another Guardian questioned. "We are the Guardians of the Universe, Ganthet. We do not accept 'faith' as a basis for action that could affect billions of lives across the universe. While the abilities of Earth's champions are not in question, we must question their discipline. Their cohesiveness. The Green Lanterns are a trained force and most importantly, under our direction. The heroes of Earth are not. I'm afraid we cannot turn away from this. The boy was a prisoner of Oa. He is therefore our responsibility."

The other Guardians seemed to murmur in agreement before turning to Ion resolutely. Ion could see that words would not sway them.

"Then I quit."

At this, Ion saw a sight he would never have imagined possible within the faces of even a single Guardian. Disbelief. Pure, utter disbelief.

"What?"

"You heard me, I quit. No more being your champion. No more being the angel of the Green Lantern corps. I won't be your little experiment or your torchbearer anymore, I quit."

"You cannot resign Kyle Rayner of Earth. We forbid it."

"No, you forbid Green Lanterns from quitting, right? You control them by controlling the power to their battery. I'm Ion. The power's inside me and I can do whatever I want with it."

"You cannot change what you are." One of the Guardian's insisted with what might have otherwise been perceived as a hint of desperation in his voice. "You are the torchbearer. You cannot escape this. It is not in your nature."

"I did just fine on my own before you guys came back, and I can do it again."

"You play a dangerous game Kyle Rayner. You bluff with the fate of the universe at stake."

Ion didn't answer. He remained motionless as his emerald manifestation slowly faded away from the Guardian's presence.

"Wait!"

Ion's projection maintained a partially decayed state, but remained otherwise unchanged.

"Very well."

Ion didn't respond. He just vanished from sight.

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All across Smallvile, panic had taken hold. People crouched in their shops, their homes, under their cars, desperate for salvation.

All save for two.

Laurie continued to run down the streets, following the swarm of emerald figures that seemed to be heading towards the east end of town, her mother in close pursuit.

"Laurie, where are you going?" She asked frantically.

" Clark might need help." She insisted as she tried to watch her breath.

Laurie's concerns rapidly became more selfish however as both she and her mother became sucked into another emerald bubble.

She looked up to see the unmistakable appearance of another of the green uniformed aliens with the unmistakable ring they all seemed to wear.

"You are not safe here." Tarraq Skue's warning was simple and straight to the point. Laurie didn't know how the strange creature before her seemed to understand English, nor did it seem to matter as it lifted her slowly into the air.

"Let them go." The cry followed a small pebble as it was flung at the Green Lantern's head. Tarraq turned to see a disheveled shop keeper, still wearing the apron with his store logo on it, as he searched for another blunt object to hurl. "You want a fight, I got something for you right here."

A look of curiosity adorned the alien's unusual visage. Were these humans confused? Did they not appreciate the danger that they were in? He only meant to help them.

The Lantern received his answer in short order as a brick was thrown at his head. Though his ring easily protected him from such an attack, it did cause him to take a second look around. From all around, factory workers, store owners, the entire town of Smallvile it seemed had come out of hiding. And they were angry.

"Done picking on little girls…" "…ain't abducting no one." "Let's chase the little green men right…"

"No, you do not understand." Tarraq focused the energies of his ring, scooping up and gathering the rest of the people in a series of bubbles. "You cannot stay here."

A fist appeared at Tarraq's throat, causing him to grasp out for air, as Superboy Prime snarled at him. With his heat vision, he actually seared Tarraq's left hand clean off, along with his ring.

Each and every one of the emerald bubbles dissipated, dropping the people to the ground as Superboy Prime, weary with visible bruises, turned the wounded alien until the two were face to face.

"Get. Lost." Without another word, Superboy Prime casually hurled the Lantern off into the distance.

Superboy Prime let out a long held breath as he turned to the crowd before him. These were people he had known his whole life. People he had grown up with. He could only imagine the barrage of gasps and shocked expressions to see that little Clark Kent had grown up to be…

"Superboy! Yeah!" The cry brought on a chorus of cheers. Applause burst throughout the assembled mob, causing Superboy to let out a sigh of regret. They didn't recognize him. Not a one of them.

No. That wasn't true either. One of them did.

Laurie ran up to him, throwing her arms around his already heavy shoulders, the crowd cheering all the more at this. He wasn't just their hero now, he was one of them. He felt his arms melt around her as he took a desperately needed whiff of her scent.

Their moment did not last. As much as Prime longed to cling to her, his super sensitive ears were already detecting still more Lanterns coming after him. And he was already so tired.

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Batman continued to maintain a dispassionate disposition as he scanned the situation. The League were still being held at bay by the Lanterns, and for whatever reason, Guy Gardner and John Stewart weren't answering their League Communicators, most likely due to the emerald dome.

The Dark Knight continued to give the matter his attention even as the control room filled with a brilliant emerald glow.

"They've agreed. It's over." Ion declared as he appeared seemingly out of thin air.

"Not yet." Batman indicated to the images on the screen. The monitors showed the emerald dome still standing over the small, east coast city, and the battle raging on within it.

"But the Guardians sent out the order to stand down. Why's the fighting still going on?"

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"Guy. Guy!" John Stewart called out as he continued to fly overhead, desperately attempting to regroup the disorganized and heavily battered GLs. "We just got word. The Guardians have ordered a retreat. We're to pull back to Oa immediately."

"You run all you like Earthman." Ke'hann, one of the supposed 'Lost Lanterns' who had survived against Parallax only to be left for dead, retorted angrily. Standing bulking at eight feet tall, with horns not unlike those of a bull and a deep red skin, it was his voice that was intimidating more than anything. "That monster has killed some of the finest Lanterns ever to wear a ring. And he will pay."

"Hey!" Gardner stepped in, eager more than anything to end this bloodshed. "Maybe you weren't paying attention during basic training soldier, but when the bosses give an order, you say 'Yes sir' and get your butt moving."

"That's a laugh coming from you Gardner." Ke'hann retorted as he rallied several of his more eager comrades to his side. "That killer will pay for every drop of Lantern blood with a gallon of his own."

Cries rang out among the remaining Lanterns. Battered, bruised, some of them with injuries that would kill them in less than an hour without proper medial attention, and yet still they would not yield.

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"It's not working." Hal Jordan could scarcely believe the words coming out of his mouth as he relayed the message back through the communication orb that Ion had manifested in his hands. "The Lanterns aren't standing down. They're so bent on revenge, they won't stop until he kills every last one of them."

Ion said nothing. His face merely fell as he clutched his fingers closed, canceling the communication. As he looked back up, standing alone alongside Batman, he received no sympathy or support. Only acknowledgement.

"You need to get down there and end this. Now."

The words were unnecessary. Before Batman had even begun to speak, Ion began to shine brightly as he disappeared yet again.

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"Su-per-boy! Su-per-boy! Su-per-boy!" The cry rang out across the entire town as Superboy Prime dotted back and forth at incredible speeds within the dome, tearing apart Lanterns in groups before they could even react. One by one, Lanterns were cut down, burned, frozen, incinerated, mutilated, ripped to shreds, and yet on they poured, determined to go down fighting until the last.

"Go away!" Superboy Prime cried out with rage to any Lanterns who could possibly hear him. "I'll make every last one of you pay for coming here. I don't care how many more of you the Guardians send, I'll beat them all too."

"ENOUGH!" The voice echoed like thunder across the sky. All those who looked up to see the emerald dome crack and shatter at its peak, slowly fading away as it dissipated. A bright emerald light, almost like that of a jade star, shone in the sky, hanging for a second before descending below.

"Kyle." From afar, Guy Gardner whispered the words in sheer awe. It always amazed how that young and struggling artist, that raw rookie, had not only come into his own, but had risen to the ranks of one of the Corps greatest heroes. Of course, there was something to be said about the final fate of many of the Corps' greatest heroes.

What Guy would never have guessed was that Ion was aware of his hushed whisper of awe. In fact, he was aware of the awe of all the Lanterns, and so much more. He felt them. Through their rings, Ion could feel every last one of them; their perspiration, their heart beats, and in many cases, their rapidly failing health. No less than twenty two Lanterns would die if left uncared for in the next half an hour.

"I-on. I-on. I-on." The entire Corps remaining cheered as the emerald trail of Ion shot through the sky straight for Superboy. This renewed sense of morale and purpose at the sight of their champion did not go unnoticed by the people on the ground below.

"Su-per-boy! Su-per-boy!" They cheered on as if merely rooting for the other of two sports teams at the Super bowl. Even as both sides cheered their respective heroes on, Superboy Prime glared at the sight as he took off, meeting this new challenge head on.

The two stopped less than ten yards apart from one another, hovering over the small town beneath him. All around and beneath them, breathing had stopped. The world would see whatever final outcome this match held.

"So, you're Ion." Superboy Prime seemed unimpressed as he tried to smirk confidently. Truth be told, he was having a hard time overcoming the ache in his muscles. "They told me about you. When I was on Oa. They liked to brag about you. I think a couple of my ex-guards even secretly wanted me to escape… so that I could fight you. So that you could take me down."

Ion said nothing. His attention was divided between the killer in front of him, the Lanterns all around him and the people beneath. Ever since gaining the Ion powers again, he'd never really had a chance to open up with them. He wasn't entirely sure what he was capable of with this level of power. If he opened up, he could probably take down the Superboy. He could also very likely knock the entire East Coast into the ocean.

"Well. Here I am." Superboy Prime held his arms wide, almost invitingly. "Your move."

Ever muscle in his body cried out for the chance to act. All he could think of was Jade, and how responsible for her death this boy was. The boy had killed without remorse. Every bit of Ion's experience assured him he would do so again. It was only a matter of time.

The two stood, hovering motionlessly for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for the other to blink.

Ion was first.

His arms shot out to his sides as a bright emerald glow shot out in all directions. Superboy Prime shielded his eyes with his hands.

It was over in a second. When Superboy Prime finally opened his eyes, they were gone. All of them. The Lanterns, Ion. Just gone.

Down below, the people of his home town looked up to see him and him alone hovering high above; their protector, their savior, their hero.

As Prime slowly lowered down to the ground below, cheers of praise reignited. Cries of celebration could be heard from all across the town as Superboy Prime landed in the square. Crowds of people swarmed around him almost immediately.

They patted his shoulder, slapped his back, congratulated him on a job well done, and nearly suffocated him in the process. He felt smothered. He tried to call out her name but couldn't even hear his own voice over all of theirs. He tried to make his way through the crowd on foot; it felt like he couldn't even fly anymore. Without the excitement of battle, he felt heavy.

"Laurie. Laurie." He cried out the name as if numb. He felt… exposed, vulnerable. He wanted to hide, to get away, but he didn't know which way to go.

" Clark!" The voice caught his attention. He scanned frantically for her until he finally saw her. She was at the back of the crowd, slowly struggling to make her way towards him.

He pushed past several people to get to her. When he finally reached her, he practically fell into her grip, falling to his knees and dragging her with him.

She didn't notice it at first, until she felt his head shaking against her shoulder. Sobbing. He was crying. She couldn't hear at first, until the crowd suddenly fell silent at the sight of their hero on his knees.

"I couldn't save them." He whispered over his tears. "I'm supposed to be the hero, but I couldn't save them."


	7. The Paths Taken

Author's Note: So sorry to keep everyone waiting folk, but here it is. The next chapter of Return of Superboy Prime. I know it's been a while, but trust me, this will not be the norm. With this story well past it's halfway mark, I will be devoting my energies now to wrapping this one up.

Thanks so much to all those who have read and reviewed. I am always ovewhelmed by the praise that this story has recieved, as well as the recognition. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter and as always, write a review, get a response. That is, as long as I have a way to respond.

Enjoy.

--

_Battle raged on. Destruction had turned this small all-American town into ground zero and at the heart of it all, Superboy Prime fought with all he had to free himself from it. But it wasn't enough. There were so many heroes, and they just kept coming and coming. Their entire world was falling apart, and yet they kept trying to beat him up, and he wasn't even a bad guy! He couldn't think with them constantly coming at him, he was just reacting. "Stop hitting me."_

"_You're the one breaking bones in a mindless rage." Superboy Prime didn't recognize the hero in the large, bulking metal armor as he came up from behind him. He didn't recognize most of these heroes really._

"_I just wanted to talk to Superboy." Superboy Prime insisted as he knocked his armored attacker away from him, desperate for some air. He couldn't feel himself breathing over the panic. "You started this!"_

_This was out of hand. He needed to get away. Needed to find Superman and Lois and make them understand. Let them explain-_

"'_You started this?'" A voice from behind mocked in mimickery. "He's just a stupid kid."_

"_I'm not stupid!" For a second, rage concealed and replaced fear as Superboy Prime's fist shot at his attacker from behind. He just meant to knock her away. "I…"_

_His words fell away as something the exact size and shape of a human head rolled away like a discarded cantaloupe, leaving a decapitated body to fall to the ground before him lifelessly._

_Superboy Prime couldn't think as he gaped at the sight. He couldn't feel anything. His vision blurred as he looked down to see crimson blood all over his palms and fingers. "…oh no." His voice whispered croakily. "…I didn't mean to do that."_

_The head of Pantha rolled another few feet before coming to a stop before two of the attacking heroes. They looked down to see the remains of their dear friend, of their valued teammate, discarded. Left out to rot. She had been killed, murdered. And all by some spoiled little brat._

"_You'll burn for that." Red Start hissed as behind him, the baby __Wildebeest__ grunted in agreement._

"_Get 'em!" The battle cry came out from another voice Superboy Prime didn't recognize, a female, as the very concrete and stone beneath him seemed to erupt in anger, throwing him up into the air limp, helplessly._

"_I'm with you, Terra."_

"_Please!" Superboy Prime choked out for mercy over his tears. This was all so wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to be like this. He had to find Alex; had to find Superman. "I said I didn't mean to!"_

_His pleas went unheeded as a giant brute of a beast tackled him back. Panic and fear guided his reaction as Superboy Prime fired a blast of heat vision, burning right through his assailant. This time, he didn't even hesitate at the realization that he'd killed again. _

--

Most people think that the Batman is a… complicated person. That he lives by the very mystery and shadow that he tends to shroud himself in. But nothing could be further from the truth. In the end, he is really quite a simple figure.

It's the criminals. Most fancy themselves as predators. Others are even so bold to see themselves as dark gods visiting their wrath on those unworthy by right of might. But in the end, they are just scavengers. They target the weak, the helpless. They attack those who can't defend themselves, all for their own wants and desires.

Criminals prey on the weak.

And the Batman preys on criminals.

The three punks hadn't exactly been subtle as they walked down the streets of Gotham in the dead of night, barely even bothering to conceal their .9 mms. When they rushed into the liquor store, they only fired a single shot to get the cashier's attention. At first, the night might have ended in nothing but simple robbery.

But then they found the two co-eds cowering in the back of the store. The pair had been looking to test out their new fake IDs and score some beer for their friends. The punks had seen this and decided to take the girls back to the nearest alley for their own private 'party'.

The Batman had seen this and decided to crash the party.

"I can't believe you're back in Gotham." Oracle's voice came in loudly and clearly over the earpiece in the Batman's cowl. "Especially while he's still on the loose."

"I needed some air." The Batman answered back simply as he stood in the alleyway.

"Did you break them much?" Oracle quipped with a slight amusement.

"They'll walk again." Batman did nothing to acknowledge the groanings from the punks lying around him as the pair of co-eds ran off into the night to look for the police.

"Why didn't you all just go after him after the GL attack?" Oracle still felt the need to press the matter.

"Ion disappeared with our only sample of the virus." Batman responded in his usual, gruff voice with a small hint of frustration. "The JSA had to leave at that point, and I needed to get back to my city."

"You left J'onn to monitor him, didn't you?"

"Any activity?"

"Wish I could tell you." Oracle let out an exhausted sigh. "He just shot down our ninth satellite that we've tried to position over him. We don't even get more than a split second of feed before he destroys them, so we don't even really know if he's still on the New England coast anymore, though it seems like a safe bet." Oracle let out a breath as she rationalized aloud "We could make it an even ten, but you know, someone's going to have to replace those and not all of us are made of money."

"Reposition the satellite." Batman stated calmly.

"You know, the irony is that we wouldn't be having this problem if you still had Brother Eye-"

"Reposition the satellite." Batman restated with an edge that promptly cut the banter off.

"You know, you could have always Power Girl watch him."

"The JSA got called away." Batman reminded her. "Apparently with the Secret Society's leadership in a dustpan, Black Adam has decided to renew his vows against them."

"You can always trust the smell of blood to bring out the predators." Oracle mused. "Well what about Superman?"

"He's away on personal matters." Batman answered.

--

Clark Kent hurried out the elevator, past several nurses and a hallway filled with injured people. The veteran reporter and super hero reminded himself that this was just one of many hospitals pushed past their limits tending to the injured of Superboy Prime's attack. Still, such thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind. He had urgent business here and shameful as it was to admit, even Superman could be selfish at times.

"Mr. Kent!" Dr. Jeremy Bugges called out over the noise and commotion going on all around him.

"Doctor." Clark Kent took his hand, shaking it eagerly all the while never breaking pace. "I got your call and rushed over here as fast as I could. How is she?"

"Stable." The doctor spoke as they both walked. "Assuming the best, she stands an excellent chance of recovery."

At this, Clark Kent stopped dead in his tracks, eyeing the good doctor squarely. "Doctor, I've been a reporter for a number of years now. I know when someone's trying not to tell me something and that was the worst cover up line I've ever heard."

Caught dead to rights, the doctor took the trouble to gather himself before explaining further. "She has a single deep wound that missed all her vital organs. That's the good news. The problem Mr. Kent is that her blood pressure is dangerously high. She bled out a lot before we could get to her. Normally, we would just transfuse her, but our blood banks are practically dry."

"I thought your sister hospital from Gotham was sending relief supplies by air?" Clark Kent prided himself on being a man in the know. It was, after all, how he kept his job.

"They are. Unfortunately, they are only sending us another hundred and five units and we need at least another hundred and fifty." At this, the doctor looked up uneasily at the husband in front of him "And, to be honest sir, your wife isn't exactly at the top of the list. As much as I hate to say it, there are people a lot worse than her."

"I see." Clark Kent's voice fell somewhat at this.

"I assure you sir; we are doing everything possible to get more supplies here for everyone, including your wife."

Clark Kent paused for a moment before looking back up at the doctor. "Maybe I know a few people who can help."

--

Unlike Metropolis, Smallvile had not endured much over the year. The most excitement the small town would usually see was their Fourth of July celebration. And a few years back, there had been a violent thunder storm that had shaken a few foundations and caused some major flooding.

None of which had helped the inhabitants to prepare for an alien attack. Homes and businesses alike had suffered damage from simple holes in the roofs to being shattered outright. The local construction company sent out 'a guy' to do some estimates. No one really knew what to call him; he was just 'the guy'. But he drove a fancy sports car and had hands too smooth to have ever worked a day of construction labor in his life. The guy took a look around before declaring that it might takes over three years of heavy labor, and at a modest fee of course, for the town to be restored to its original glory.

Then he turned a sickly shade of green, silently kissing the new sports car of his dreams farewell, as Superboy Prime repaired the damage within a matter of minutes. Prime had convinced the people of the town to at least reimburse the gentlemen for the materials as he did the works of hundreds of men in the blink of an eye.

If Prime had been their hero before, the people of the town saw him as nothing short of their own personal second coming now. He fixed their roofs, rebuilt their homes, he even helped Mrs. Rosenalla fix the leak in her bathroom (the dripping was keeping her cat up at night). He never once complained, he never asked for anything in return. He just smiled a helpful smile and set everything right. By the time the sun had set, the people of Smallvile had all been able to go home as if nothing had ever happened.

It was something for him to do. And it allowed him to put off confronting Laurie and her mother and having a long discussion that he was now dreading.

Those stupid Lanterns had followed him. He'd thought he'd made it clear to them not to mess with him. He'd left them alone; why couldn't they leave him alone? And those awful heroes... He knew that they were still trying to spy on him. He'd been shooting down their stupid satellites ever since the Lantern attack. It was only a matter of time before they came after him too. He knew he couldn't stay here.

He hated them. He hated them so much. They always made everything worse. And they never left him alone. They just kept coming. He could never just hit them all and make them go away and… wait. Was that it?

Superboy Prime stopped dead in his tracks as he flew back and forth across the small town that had once been his home. Could that be the answer? It sounded simple enough. Superboy Prime hovered where he had stopped for almost another half an hour, working out details in his mind.

Yes. It seemed like it could work. But there was only one way to be sure. A shiver ran down Superboy Prime's backside. He'd have to leave Smallvile, leave Laurie behind. To make sure this plan could work meant going back to Metropolis. And the risks… Best case scenario, he could bring his world back. He could go home to his parents. But the worst case scenario; well the worst case scenario was something he simply would never allow himself to live through again.

But he had no choice.

Superboy Prime knew he couldn't leave without saying goodbye. Taking a glance around town, it didn't take him long to find Laurie and her mother. The two stood out in their own front yard, looking up right at him. Or rather, Laurie was looking at him, while Sarah seemed to be casting some uncertain glances back between him and Laurie.

The part of him that was still Clark Kent couldn't really blame her. He knew that he had given Sarah Lemmon more than enough cause for concern. He'd lied to her, brought an alien force down on top of her house and placed her only daughter in mortal peril. He was pretty sure the very idea of he and Laurie getting married now would send her either into a fit of hysterics, or a heart attack, or more likely both in that order.

As he flew down in front of them, landing gently on the Lemmon front lawn, Laurie ran up and threw herself into his arms. Just the smell of her hair, the feeling of her warm cheeks against his as her arms wrapped tightly around him; in that instant he realized that it all still overwhelmed him every bit as much as when he'd first seen her alive again in Metropolis.

He would never have guessed she was having the same reaction even as she forced out a casual "Hey."

"Hey." He replied over a single tear. Just one.

"Are…How…" She couldn't even begin to figure out what to say or ask. She just wanted to hold onto him, but still felt the need to fill in the silence. "I was worried about you."

"I know." She spoke into the shoulder of her sweater even as his right hand snaked its way up to her hair. "I was worried about you too."

Neither said anything further for another long several seconds until the two finally pulled back

"We were worried about you."

"We?" Clark then looked up at Sarah Lemmon starring back at the both of them. "Oh."

Sarah walked up to Clark, who remained frozen with the look of a little boy caught stealing a cookie before dinner. "So I guess we haven't properly introduced ourselves." Sarah let out steadily as she extended her hand. "I'm Sarah Lemmon."

Clark let out a dry chuckle as he took her hand in his own. "I'm Clark Kent." He then looked down on himself still in his costume. "Superboy Prime."

"Why 'Prime'?" She asked.

"It's a long story." He assured with a smile.

Sarah just nodded with acceptance. "Laurie told me how the two of you really met." At this, Clark looked up at Laurie worried, but Sarah just leaned in, wrapping her arms around Clark as she whispered into his shoulders. "Thank you for saving my baby."

Clark didn't know what to say, he just continued to hold her, looking up at Laurie who seemed every bit as speechless as he was.

"When Laurie's father died… and she couldn't come home, some part of me thought I'd lost them both." Sarah confessed soberly. "You can never know how grateful I am that you brought her back to me." At this, Sarah cleared her face as she pulled away from him.

He looked at her every bit as soberly as she did him as he confessed. "I can't stay. I have to go."

"What?" Laurie asked, moving up alongside her mother.

"Where?" Sarah asked.

"Back to Metropolis."

"Why?" Laurie insisted.

"I... I can't explain." Clark felt himself pressed between a rock and a hard place. He could think of nothing he wanted more than to stay with them. But he knew he couldn't. Not as long as the heroes of this Earth were hounding after him. And who knew when the Green Lanterns would regroup and come after him again. "I just… I have to go."

"Then I'm coming with you." Laurie took another step forward resolutely.

"What?" Sarah asked, terrified.

"No." Superboy Prime replied with the same resolve.

"Yes." Laurie looked back at her fiancée fiercely. "When I agreed to be your wife, that meant standing by your side no matter what. So if you have to go back to Metropolis, then I'm going too."

"Wife?" Sarah looked aghast at her daughter. However, both Clark and Laurie were too locked in their standoff to notice.

"You can't follow me on this one." Clark insisted. "Not all the way."

"Then I'll follow as far as I can." Laurie stated resolutely.

"It's not safe." Clark continued to argue, even as the look in Laurie's eyes told him without a doubt that this was one fight he was going to lose.

Laurie responded as honestly as she ever had in her life "If there is one thing I'm sure of, it's that the safest place for me to be on this Earth is by your side."

"Wife?" Sarah reiterated loudly enough to end the quarrel and bring both sets of eyes looking squarely back at her.

"Uh, yeah." Laurie swallowed the oversized lump in her throat as she softly admitted. "Clark proposed to me last night."

"I even got a ring, finally." Clark had been able to approach a local jeweler who'd been only too happy to help. When it was all said and done, it made for quite an engagement ring. Reaching into his pocket, he held it out for both women's inspection.

"Whoa." Sarah had to admit. Its glow and the color. It looked like something out of a movie.

"How did you get the gem out of my pocket?" Laurie double checked her pants pockets to make sure that this was indeed the same rock Clark had brought back for her.

"You dropped it during the attack." Clark answered. Then, feeling his heart pounding, he felt himself take one last step to close the distance between the two of them, Superboy Prime got down on one knee before Laurie, causing her to look around in horrified embarrassment. "May I?"

"Clark…" Laurie began to blush furiously even as she tried to hide her face behind her hand. "We're out on my front lawn."

"And I'm on my knee, so you'd better hurry up and give me your hand." Clark just joked as he reached out with his left hand, taking her right in his.

Laurie thought she might cry as Clark pressed the ring onto her finger. She twisted and wiggled her finger to help it slide on. When it finally came to rest, it was a perfect fit. She just stared, transfixed by its glamour and splendor. It wasn't obscene, but to even glance at it made it impossible to look away.

Finally, she did, as she looked back to Clark who was looking up at her, unable to breathe until she finally spoke. "It's beautiful."

He rose up off his knees and into a hug, the two of them caught up in their own private bubble, cut off from the world. That is, until the sound of a throat being cleared off to the side caught both their attention.

"Mom?" Laurie looked to her mother for acceptance and support. When she saw neither immediately, she began to worry as she took a hesistatant step towards her mother.

"Just-" Sarah Lemmon held out her hand, freezing her daughter where she stood. "Just give me a second with this one."

Laurie looked at her mother, frightened. After everything that she had been through, the thought of losing her mother over anything, especially Clark, was something that would break her heart.

"I'm… I just…" Sarah Lemmon looked back into the face of her daughter, and then back to the young man she had first come to know as Clark and now as Superboy. Both were caught in their tracks, unable to move or breathe or laugh ever again without acknowledgement from her. She tried to shake away the tears as she waved towards herself. "Just, get over here. Both of you."

Laurie was the first to let out a long held sigh of relief as she rushed into her mother's arms, relieved beyond all measure. A few seconds later, an uncertain Clark too found himself welcomed by the embrace.

"I don't know what to say." She sniffed as she held them both, each one returning the favor gratefully. "I always knew Laurie would bring home a boy sooner or later. I just never thought in a million years she would ever bring home Superboy.

"Prime." Clark corrected softly.

"Prime. Superboy Prime." Sarah recalled her manners.

None of the three said anything for another second or two until Superboy Prime finally pulled back. "I still have to go."

"No. 'We' still have to go." Laurie looked him in the eyes placing emphasis on the plural as she held up her right hand with her new engagement ring.

"Laurie…" Superboy Prime began to plead but was cut off.

"Clark. I'm. Going." All at once, the fire she had leveled at Clark dimed as she turned to her mother sympathetically, explaining "I have to go."

Sarah Lemmon just seemed to nod in acceptance. "I know."

"I'm so sorry I couldn't stay longer." Laurie moved forward, giving her mother another hug, this one farewell. From off to the sides, Superboy Prime looked on as the two Lemmon women said their silent good byes.

He thought he might cry as well at the sight. This was all the family he had left in the world. The thought of ever losing even one of them was more than he could bear. For a moment, he thought about simply flying off right now, and leaving Laurie behind where she would be safe.

But the moment seemed to pass as Sarah Lemmon pulled away from her daughter and walked up to him, giving him a parting hug as well. He leaned in, wrapping his arms gently around her when his ears perked up at the sound of her voice. "Take care of her. She's all I have left."

_Me too. _Superboy Prime admitted silently before swearing with a quiet resolve "I give you my word; nothing will ever happen to her as long as I'm alive."

That seemed to satisfy Sarah Lemmon as she nodded into his shoulder before pulling back. Superboy Prime nodded to them both for a moment before disappearing into the house, only to reappear with the bag he and Laurie had brought. The Lemmon women both chucked for a moment at this as Superboy Prime seemed to look back at them with such casualness. Finally, nodding in acknowledgement, Laurie walked up to him as Superboy Prime lifted her up in his arms and flew off into the sky.

The two flew into the air for several minutes before Laurie cried out over the gust of wind all around her "Clark, slow down."

"Why?" Superboy Prime looked at her. He didn't think he had been flying too fast for her. "It's going to take us a few hours at this speed to get there as it is." Of course, he was capable of making the trip in no time at all, but at that speed, Laurie would never survive the trip.

"Good." Laurie spoke back. "That'll give you the time to explain why those aliens were after you. And why the Titans were after you in Metropolis."

At this, Superboy Prime looked at her with horrified astonishment.

"I know there are things you're not telling me." Laurie's voice came in loud and clear. "Things that you've been keeping from me since we met. But I'm done pretending to look the other way, so you had better start talking. And remember Clark," she called to him as she look him in the eye with fierce resolve "I've seen you talk to my mother. I know what you look like when you lie."

--

"He's gone."

"You're sure?"

"Pretty sure." Oracle's voice came in over the Batcave's sound system. "Lucky number ten came over the New England coast minutes ago without a glitch. Took over fifty thousand pictures of the area in sixty seconds and he wasn't in any of them."

"Then he's on the move again." Batman reasoned aloud.

"Any ideas where?"

"It makes it difficult to analyze his history for previous patterns and habits when he doesn't actually have a history." Batman remarked as his eyes scanned over every bit of data anyone in the universe had on the boy as it was displayed for his inspection on the Bat Computer.

"So that's 'Batman' for 'you don't know?" Oracle asked.

"Contact me if anything else comes up. Batman out." And with that, the Dark Knight ended the communication.

Behind where he sat, the voice of the world's most tried and tested gentlemen's gentlemen had the audacity to do what no other in the world would dare. He interrupted the Batman's brooding. "Not quite one of Gotham's most notorious, is he sir?"

The Dark Knight's voice rose slightly at this. "Alfred, have you been snooping through my files again?"

"Sir." The gentlemen's gentlemen straightened with indignation. "To 'snoop' implies that I somehow managed to access your secured and locked away files without authorization or permission, possibly through the use of means that were either dastardly or underhanded and unbecoming of a civilized man." At this, Alfred cleared his voice. "You left the folder open on the table again, sir."

Batman held in a very tired sigh.

"Very interesting, if somewhat light, reading though I confess." Alfred dared to venture on where any other human being of sound mind would have stopped long ago. "A boy driven mad by the loss of his parents and the destruction of his world." He took the trouble of raising his voice a single decibel at this. "Almost tragic to imagine the effect that that might have on a young man."

Batman didn't even flinch. "That 'tragic young man' let his grief drive him to madness and murder."

"Just as you say sir." At this, Alfred bore the expression of a man who had properly been put in his place, and had been that way for his entire life. "I would never dare presume to judge such matters that are not my concern, particularly when I have only a second hand account of events." At this, Alfred took the trouble to clear his voice before speaking again. "It is after all my experience that this world casts far too many such judgments too quickly already sir. How I dread the day when I should find myself in such company."

Batman took a second deep breath before speaking in his most intimidating voice he could muster. The one that had been known to make even Superman bluster. "Are you finished?"

Alfred cast a satisfied glance across the cave, otherwise unfazed by the burning ire directed at him. "Indeed so sir. It appears everything's in order down here. Since you'll doubtless be spending another late night sir, might I interest you in a late meal before I retire then?" At this, Alfred made his way up the stairs that lead into the manor. "Perhaps something cold sir?"

Batman continued to remain fixed on the monitors in front of him for several seconds longer before calling out "Alfred."

"Sir?"

"Chicken soup."

"Very good sir." Alfred continued up the stairs. "Perhaps this time you'll actually touch it before it becomes exposed to one of your test tubes and tries to get up and walk away again, sir."

--

The flight had been a long one; longer than either of them cared for. But there had been no escaping the truth where Laurie's gaze was concerned. And for Superboy Prime, who had been running from it for longer than he cared to think of before that moment, it had been an utter torture.

Laurie had listened to his every word, carefully observing his body language, eye contact, tone of voice, all of it. The stuff she had heard had surprised, delighted, shocked and horrified her all at once. When he was done telling his story, she was speechless. He tried to get her to say something. He begged and pleaded for some kind of reaction from him, but she kept quiet, lost in deep thought.

By the time the pair had arrived in Metropolis, the sun had long set. The sight of the full moon as it reflected off the Hobbes River seemed to make the water glow. It should have been a romantic moment for the newly engaged couple, but the moment was completely lost on both of them. Superboy Prime felt his stomach churn with a new kind of acid and tighten in knots that were painful as he landed atop the building where Laurie lived.

Setting her down, she never said word. He looked to her desperately for some kind of reaction, but she said nothing. She just took a few empty steps away in no particular direction. Finally, he couldn't take it any longer. "Laurie, please. Say something."

She didn't say a word. She just stood, facing away from him.

"Laurie." He pleaded again.

Still nothing.

"Laurie, please answer me!"

"You." She answered back, her soft whisper ringing loudly and clearly in his super sensitive ears. "You killed them."

"I didn't mean to." He insisted yet again. "They made me."

"You killed them." She repeated as if she hadn't heard a word he'd said. Turning about to face him, a deep hurt radiated through her perfect eyes, leaving Superboy Prime to feel…smaller, weaker. "You killed real heroes."

"They're not heroes, Laurie!" Superboy Prime insisted. "Look at what they've done. Look at what they've let happen, to this world. To you!"

"This isn't about me!" She shouted back furiously, half crazed and borderline hysterical. "You killed."

"I never meant to." Superboy Prime pleaded with a look of desperation as the fury in her voice tore through him as if he were made of paper. "All I've ever done, all I ever wanted, was to be able to hold you again. To see my parents again. That's all I ever wanted."

"And that makes it ok?" Laurie looked at him incredulously. "How many people did you have to kill to get what you wanted? How many more people have to die before you get your way?"

"I'm trying to save lives!" Superboy Prime shouted back over tears as they suddenly began pouring furiously down the side of his face. He did nothing to clear them as he shouted back at Laurie with rage or fear. He could no longer distinguish. "I'm trying to save Earth Prime. Our Earth. I'm trying to save my parents, your father."

"Shut up." At this, Laurie backed away with a venomous look in her eyes.

"Billions died; were erased. Everyone on our Earth. And no one cared. None of these so-called 'heroes' did anything to save it. They just shrugged and went on like we never existed. But we did exist! We were happy together and when we lost everything, nobody did anything about it. But I did." At this, he took a desperate step forward. "Laurie, I can bring back our Earth."

"No." Laurie took another step back. She refused to let herself get swept up in whatever madness had corrupted the small boy she had grown up with and the young man that she had fallen in love with.

"I'm almost positive." He insisted pleadingly. "I can undo everything. All my mistakes, all those deaths… they'll never have happened. Everything will be better."

"No." She felt his words seep into her. For a split second, she felt herself pause.

"Ever since our Earth became part of this new Earth, everything about it has slowly fallen away. Become worse. Our Earth was better alone. It was pure. We were pure."

"I said shut up!" Laurie felt images from her recent past spring unbidden to her conscious memory. The harder she tried to block them out, the more Clark's words echoed in her mind.

"I can fix it all. Bring back my parents, your father. I can…" He was interrupted as she began walking away from him. "Laurie. Laurie!" He called out to her but she turned about and ran towards the fire escape leading down the side of the building. He knew he could have stopped her in an instant, but he couldn't. He just called out to her. "Laurie. Laurie, please come back." But she never once stopped.

He felt his heart seize and clutch. He wanted to hurl. He could go after her, only he couldn't. He was too afraid of her. Too afraid of what she might say. He just stood there, helpless.

--

The Green Lanterns had been in a bad state after their attack against Superboy Prime. So bad that it didn't seem like many would survive the trip to the nearest Green Lantern safe house. Instead, it was Ion who had constructed an emergency medical center at the edge of Earth's solar system where the wounded Lanterns could be tended too. Supplies were being rushed both from other worlds friendly to the Corps and even from the Justice League to tend to the countless wounded.

And within the large emerald space center, sitting off alone in a pre-constructed waiting room, sitting, brooding, Ion looked down. He'd been that way ever since he was satisfied that there was nothing more that could be done for the more critical Lanterns. Having no real medical experience of his own, he'd been able to do little more than call for help as the Lanterns constructed their own medical drones and different devices and equipment to tend to their wounded comrades. With nothing more to occupy his attention, he felt himself longing to be alone.

However, his fellow Earth man Alan Scott, who had been on hand to deliver what supplies and aid the League and Society could offer, did not seem to respect that desire for privacy. He walked up casually, taking a seat across the emerald table from the sulking Ion.

"I understand you saved a lot of lives yesterday."

"Yeah." Ion answered back, despondent. "Got the Lanterns to call off the attack. Jury is still out on whether or not that's a good thing though."

"You talked down the Guardians of the universe. That's still got to count for something." Alan declared with a raised eyebrow. "I don't even think Batman's managed to pull that one off."

"Want to know how I did it?" Ion asked, not even bothering to wait for Alan's response. "I threatened to quit. Quit." Ion repeated in disbelief of his own actions. "Do you know what would happen if any other Green Lantern had the audacity to stand in front of the Guardians of the Universe and threaten to walk out unless they got what they wanted?"

"From what I recall of the last two people who couldn't take 'no' for an answer from the Guardians, I'd say you handled it exceptionally well by comparison." Alan replied with what might have been perceived as a small amount of pride in his voice.

"And that's just my point." Ion looked up desperately to the senior Green Lantern of the Golden Age. "I ordered the Guardians to stand down. I ordered and they obeyed. What if I end up down the same path that Sinestro and Parallax took? If I decide that I want to use my power to make things the way I want them to be instead of the way they need to be."

"Do you think you will?" Alan asked, directly to the point.

"No." Ion faltered somewhat at this. "I don't know. Sometimes… I guess sometimes I wish she hadn't done it." Kyle Rayner looked up at this into Alan Scott's eyes as he confessed "I wish she hadn't given me her light. It shouldn't have been me. Hal or John instead. Kilowog would have been perfect to wield the power but not me."

"And why do you suppose she didn't give it to them? It wasn't because you two dated. Or so that you could stop the bad guy. It wasn't even because she loved you."

Alan saw Kyle's face drop back to the table, and took a moment. Truth be told, he needed it as well.

"The last time you wielded it, you used your power to undo a terrible wrong. You gave it away. You resisted the temptation where even the great Hal Jordan faltered."

"That wasn't Hal." Ion insisted quickly. "That was Parallax."

Alan gave a single, silent chuckle at this. "'Parallax' scarified himself to save the Earth. Seems like a strange thing for a yellow fear demon to do, don't you think?" This drew Kyle's face back up with a surprised look. "I've never said this before but I've always suspected that as Parallax, Hal had more control over himself than he might want to admit too."

"So… what?" Ion's voice rose slightly at this. "You're saying…"

"I'm saying every one of us has to face their demons. Like Sinestro, Hal eventually lost to his. But unlike Sinestro, he kept fighting and eventually beat them back. He fights them everyday and so do all of us, even the great Ion."

Kyle had to chuckle at this, giving Alan the encouragement to continue.

"You'll be tempted by your power. Truth is I don't think there's a hero out there that hasn't been at some point or another. We're not gods because we are able to vanquish our demons completely; we're human because we wake up each day and decide we won't let them win today." Alan gave a moment to emphasize. "That's the best we can do. We wake up in the morning and decide that we won't let our demons win today."

Ion paused for a long moment as he thought hard on Alan Scott's words. "I saw mine in the flesh yesterday. He was begging me to fight him and I wanted to. I wanted to so badly. I saw him and right then, it was so easy to believe that it was her fault she died."

Alan Scott raised his head as if doing calculations. "Your power against his. The two of you could have probably laid waste to the entire eastern coast if it went on long enough."

"I still wanted to."

"But you didn't." Alan reminded with more than a hint of pride this time. "You saved a lot of lives instead rather than give him what he wanted. And if you're still itching for a fight, I'm sure you'll get it soon enough."

Ion chuckled slightly, more out of eagerness at the thought then out of any sort of amusement. "You know, when I first joined the League, I didn't think I'd ever outgrow being the 'rookie' of the team. I figured I could be Green Lantern for twenty years, and I'd still be 'the new guy."

Alan chuckled as Kyle's declaration brought back all too familiar feelings within the veteran GL.

"The best was when the Corps was brought back. I wasn't a rookie or a legend. I was just one of the guys." Ion gave a frustrated sigh as he confessed "Now, some of the veterans, GLs from even before Hal's time; they all look at me like I'm some sort of savior. Some of them even call me the 'Angel of the Corps'. And I don't have the first clue how to be that."

Alan Scot finally sat down opposite the frustrated Kyle Rayner. "Maybe I'm not the one you should talk to then."

--

Superboy Prime felt as if he were carrying himself as he flew on over the streets of Metropolis. He had periodically been peaking in on Laurie since she ran off. For the time being, she was alone in her room within her building, safe.

That was as good a place for her as any. He knew he couldn't bring her with him for what he had in mind next. He wanted to. If the worst happened, he couldn't bear the thought of being trapped without her. But he couldn't risk condemning her to his fate.

Not to an eternity in the Crystal Paradise.

When Superman had first shattered the barriers between the Crystal Paradise and this world, it had opened up over the Antarctic where they had rebuilt Superman's fortress. That entrance way had been closed behind them as there was never to be any reason for them to return to the Crystal Paradise ever again.

But there was still another way back in.

It was the way out that Superboy Prime had first created. When he and Alex had been trying to escape without Superman and Lois' knowledge, Alex had used some of his anti-matter powers to energize the cells in Superboy Prime's body. In doing so, Prime had been able to punch a whole in the Crystal Paradise which opened up, ironically enough, over the top of the Daily Planet.

It was how Superboy Prime and Alex were able to leave the Crystal Paradise and orchestrate the various details of Alex's plan, and still be able to return in order to satisfy Superman and Lois with their presence.

Now, it was Prime's only way back in.

Normally, Superboy Prime would never return to that hell in a million years, but now he had no choice. He had a plan. A way to bring back Earth Prime. But he had to know that it would work. He couldn't live through another failed attempt. He had to be sure.

From within the Crystal Paradise, Alex had been able to mentally compute over seventy eight thousand different scenarios for creating his 'perfect Earth' before finally finding one he was satisfied with. From there, Superboy Prime would be able to ensure the success of his one and only plan.

He reached the top of the Daily Planet with a smirk. The entrance way was hidden; completely invisible. Of course, finding it was remarkably easy, as long as one knew where to look. All one had to do was stand in front of it and just will it to appear.

The first time he had tried to return, he had almost panicked when he couldn't make it appear; when he could find the precise spot. He'd relaxed then when he realized that never finding it meant never having to return to that hell again. He'd almost cursed his luck when he'd finally been able to make it appear. This time, there was no hesitation. He hovered precisely twenty meters over the second large 'L' of the enshrined words 'DAILY PLANET' and willed the doorway to appear.

Right on command, a whole that seemed to lead out into nothingness appeared before him. A thousand unspoken fears leapt at Superboy Prime's heart, pleading with him not to return. If something happened, if the doorway closed for whatever reason, he might be trapped again. There was no sun in the Crystal Paradise, and the crystals within his skin might not last long enough to sustain him if he tried another escape without Alex's help.

But there was no other way. He would not allow himself to remain on this earth as a boy that didn't exist, the shadow of a dead hero. No. He silenced his doubts and fears as he flew right through the whole.

Almost immediately, he found himself surrounded on all sides by the crystalline structures that created a vast landscape before him. It was a contained environment that seemed to go on forever.

This world wasn't a world. It was a place that responded to their emotions and needs. It changed with their emotions and thoughts, but ultimately beneath the surface, it was always the same.

Superboy Prime cast a dispassionate glare around at his former prison. This was a wicked place. For all its trappings of a paradise, it was a nightmare that one never awoke from. Seconds felt like eternity here and vice versa. There was no passage of time. No way to even keep track of time from a personal perspective. While here, he'd never been hungry, he'd never gotten any older, his hair never got longer; he couldn't even remember sleeping. Oh there'd been a couple times when he'd felt his eyes get heavy and he would lie down, but then they'd open, and he'd be fine again, with no way to know if he'd actually dozed off or not.

Pushing the bile in his chest aside, Superboy Prime closed his eyes and focused his conscious mind on his plan. He could see it now. The images played out in his mind like a pre-recorded show.

Yes. It could work. But the heroes, they would try to stop him. Superboy Prime could see all the different ways the scenario might play itself out and decided something had to be done. There was far too high a margin for failure. He needed something to improve his odds.

Suddenly inspiration flashed across his mind. Re-analyzing his scenario with this new variable introduced, he felt a great relief surge through him. Yes, that was much better. He felt lighter than a feather as he realized it could work. It could all work, just the way he had always wanted it to. Earth Prime could return. It would take the place of this awful world.

When he had finished, he opened his eyes, and immediately felt a great weight overtake him. It was like fatigue, but he knew full well that he wasn't tired. It was this place; it was what this place did. It drained their souls; all of them. Every time they had used the crystals to remake this place as they wanted, it took something out of them. It was that that had made Lois so weak and old. She simply couldn't understand that she should never have aged a day within that dimension. Hell, Alex had gone from infant to young adult in a day, and even he never changed within the Crystal Paradise. But like all of them, this place had taken something from him too. It had taken something from all of them.

Superboy Prime picked himself up and quickly searched around for his exit. A quick panic worked its way through him when he didn't find it right away. But sure enough, he calmed when he saw it, exactly where it had always been.

Superboy Prime hovered at the doorway leading him to freedom before taking a last look around. He paused as he realized that he couldn't leave, not yet. There was one more thing to do.

Closing his eyes, Superboy Prime summoned all his will and began pulling at the Crystal Paradise. With all his strength of mind, he felt himself trying to crush the Crystal Paradise, to compress itself unto nothing. It was working, but slowly.

Reaching within himself, Prime dug deep, remembering his parents, remembering an eternity of looking at them and never being able to hold them. He remembered what this place had taken from him, what those heroes had taken from him; a world and a life that should have been his. Those heroes gave life and limb to save their own world but when his world had died, had any of them done anything? Had any of them even cared when he'd been left behind in that dark void with only Superman, Lois and Alex; left to die by the last reaching wave of the Anti-Monitor?

He felt the hate burning within him and channeled it. He felt the furnace inside him burn as the Crystal Paradise shrunk and crushed. All around him, shards and chunks of crystal began to topple and rain but he held onto his hate. It was working… all he needed was one…last…push.

Superboy Prime raced out of the whole in space, appearing back in Earth with a triumphant cry as behind him, the Crystal Paradise collapsed on itself, soundlessly, leaving only a flash of light as the doorway evaporated into nothingness.

Back over the streets of Metropolis, Prime felt himself take a deep breath of relief. It was gone. Sweet salvation, it was gone. He could only feel an enormous sense of triumph. He had destroyed the Crystal Paradise, and soon he would be able to restore Earth Prime. He could go home. After everything that had happened to him, he could really go back.

He allowed himself to leisurely fly across the streets of Metropolis, savoring it all even as he looked down with disgust at the city beneath him. This was a fake city. Created for a fake hero to protect. Its people had been created to suffer that their so-called hero might gain recognition and fame. He could never be content protecting an earth like this.

His musings were cut off as a sleek red sports car flew right up at him, knocking him out of the sky before he even had the chance to react. Prime never even had the chance to remark at the unreality of the event as both he and the car landed on the streets with a loud explosion at which Prime was at the center of.

On the street, people cried out and ran, clearing the area even as Prime pulled himself out of the wreckage, unharmed.

"Solomon Grundy. Born on a Monday."

Prime looked up at the hulking undead brute as he picked up another car, this one with an older man still inside. Middle aged, probably looking for a safe place to hide, only to find himself trapped in his own vehicle. The older man let out a cry as Grundy picked him up within his vehicle and threw him without hesitation at the young Superboy.

Prime flew forward, catching the car in his hands and lowering it to the ground. Satisfied that the gentleman inside was safe and otherwise unharmed, Superboy Prime turned about just in time to see another car, this one empty, as it was thrown right into him.

The force of the impact knocked Superboy Prime back, his seemingly frail frame collapsing beneath the ton of wreckage being dropped on him.

--

Laurie sat in the darkness within her hovel. She didn't bother turning on the single light in the middle of the room, she just sat on the floor in the corner of the room, lost in thought.

So many different thoughts, so many different emotions and every one of them conflicted with each other. She felt her thoughts chasing each other around in circles, and when she stopped for a moment to just look around, hoping to see Clark in the darkness, his warm smile protecting her, she felt so lost.

She kept trying to wrap her mind around it all. Clark said that he could bring back their Earth, and after everything she had seen from him in the last forty eight hours, she didn't doubt it. If he'd sworn that he could keep the sun from rising, she'd believe it. But was it worth it?

All that death. Laurie kept coming back to the images of Clark killing real super heroes. She kept envisioning him standing atop a mountain of mangled, costumed corpses. Of course, she knew that he had it in him to kill. It was one of the first acts she'd seen him commit. But that was different. Zack and his wretched friends deserved it.

But did that make it right?

At the time, it seemed like it did. Laurie had found it to be immensely satisfying even. But this… and now the notion of erasing an entire Earth just so that she could have her life back? So that they could live happily ever after together in Smallvile again. She was so sure it was wrong, but the harder she looked, the harder it became to find a reason why.

It was then that a small crash off in the distance caught her attention. Looking out in the window, she could hear the cries of people on the street and thought she might have heard something that could have been an explosion. In Metropolis, these sounds only meant one thing.

"Clark."

She didn't even hesitate as she rose up and ran out her door.

--

"Solomon Grundy. Born on a Monday."

"I heard you!" Superboy Prime cried out angrily as he tossed the wreckage off of himself once again. Apparently the sight of him standing unharmed again was more than Grundy could bear as the brute cried out angrily, charging right at him.

Superboy Prime didn't even flinch as he flew right at him like a speeding bullet, delivering a bone crushing punch that released another shockwave as it sent Solomon Grundy flying back helplessly. Grundy landed over two hundred yards from where Prime had punched him, digging a trench into the street beneath him.

"Solomon Grundy. Died on Saturday." Superboy Prime smirked as he recited the rhyme by memory. "Give or take a few days."

"Good bye." A voice from behind cried out. Superboy Prime immediately turned around to see a blue and red blur flying right at him, tackling him into the street, knocking up more concrete.

"You." Superboy Prime kicked off the figure tackling him, immediately recognizing him. "Bizzaro."

"You not like Bizzaro." The twisted creature commented as he charged Superboy Prime again without fear or thought, his fist crashed into Superboy Prime's face with a thunderous impact. "You taller."

"Shut up!" Superboy Prime had had more than enough. Frustrated, his fists dug up into Bizzaro, causing the creature to cry out, only no air escaped. Instead, it all came out at once from the force of Superboy Prime's punch.

"That…felt…good."

All but helpless, Bizzaro's gasp did nothing to stop a second punch as it bore down upon him, knocking him right through the street and into the sewer beneath.

"You're so stupid." Superboy Prime looked down at the sight of the battered Superman clone. Or was he more than just a dumb clone of Superman these days? Superboy Prime could never keep track.

"Don't be too hard on him." A female voice came from behind even as hands reached out, grabbing Superboy Prime by the sides of his face. "He and Grundy were just the distractions."

Superboy Prime cried out in agony as a sharp pain radiated from the sides of his face where he was being touched to the rest of his body. He felt the life itself drain from him, every moment of contact weakening him as lashed out with a fist to his assailant from behind. He thanked his lucky stars as he felt his blind shot connect, knocking his attacker back.

As the sensation fled, Superboy Prime let out a gasp as he fell down to his knees, gasping for air.

"Whoa." The voice replied as it stood up. "What a rush!"

Superboy Prime looked up at the female figure as it rose up. A name danced on his lips, but he couldn't quite place.

"Oh my god." The pink skinned female licked her own lips as her head swayed as though she were dizzy. "Is this what it feels like to be you? God, I feel like I could rip the Earth in half for a warm up."

"Parasite." The name managed to escape Superboy Prime's lips in stunned horror.

"You know it." She just winked as she continued to stare off, euphoric, her head rocking back and forth softly. "Think of me as a 'thank you' from the current leadership of the Secret Society. We just wanted those two lunk heads to get your attention so I could get my hands on you. And man, I gotta tell, you are a trip kid."

The female Parasite seemed too distracted to mind as Superboy Prime felt himself try to stand up. It was hard. Even with the crystals in his skin pouring solar energy into him, it just wasn't enough. There was plenty of gas in the tank, but his engine had still lost a lot of speed.

"Man, coming down from this is going to be a drag." The Parasite seemed to sigh. "I am really going to hate having to drain you completely dry." At this, her eyes snapped open with wicked intent as she looked at her prey with a bemused smirk. "Speaking of which."

Superboy Prime took his only chance to soar into the air, flying with all the speed he could muster.

The Parasite just stood for a second as her new vision allowed her to track the kid. She just stood perfectly still, following him as he flew with all that he had.

She waited until she saw him clear the solar system. "Ok, that's enough of a head start." And with that, she flew up after him.

--

Laurie hurried down the streets, trying to move in the opposite of whatever direction the people had been running. She tried to follow the sound of crashing and explosions, but they had now stopped, leaving her with nothing more to go on. She was lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces, looking for some kind of sign.

"Hey."

Laurie spun around and felt her breath flee her body at the sight. Standing right before her, six punks adorned in their own street colors walked right up to Laurie. She felt fear paralyze her, take away her ability to think or move. A white terror filled Laurie as she turned to run.

But the one in the lead was faster as he grabbed her and pulled her into an alley. Slamming Laurie against the side of a building, he placed his hand roughly over her mouth.

"Yeah. I thought I recognized you." The leader sneered at her terror. "You're Zack's squeeze."

"Oh yeah." One of the other five, a smaller, frailer looking one came up behind the towering leader, snickering. "I didn't recognize her when she's not on her hands and knees."

This elicited a group laugh that caused Laurie to almost vomit into the hands of the man silencing her.

"Your boy Zack owes me a lot of money." The leader began again. "And you be sure to tell him, I ain't taking his leftovers no more." He threatened as he looked her up and down. "I want money this time. Cash."

"Oh come on Ty." The other with the mouth was practically drooling as he continued to look up Laurie. "This one's a sweet ride, even if she is broken in."

Before anything else could be said, a flash of light shot down to the entrance of the alley, scattering the gang members and forcing them further into the alley. Laurie looked up at her salvation, but it wasn't Clark this time. Instead, a man with dark hair and a goatee sporting a white and black costume with a white cape descended down upon her.

"Step aside gentlemen." The villainous Dr. Light sneered as he forced his own body against Laurie, pressing her right back up against the wall. "This one's all mine."

--

Stars zoomed by and planets passed like mere dots as Superboy Prime raced. He felt his heart pounding within him, but he still pressed on with all he had while close behind him, the female Parasite casually followed closing.

"Look kid, I don't mind the chase." The Parasite called out, exhilarated by the thrill of traveling effortlessly through space. "Really, I love a little foreplay. But do you have any idea how hopeless this is?"

Superboy Prime didn't respond. He just dove deeper and deeper into the depths of space.

"Oh, I get it." The Parasite just smirked. "You're trying to keep me going until I run out of your juice and then I just suffocate and die out here in the depths of space. Well fat chance kid; I'm good for at least another hour of this."

Prime didn't respond.

"Of course, I suppose there's no reason to drag this out any longer."

Prime let out a sigh of relief as he caught sight of his salvation off in the distance. Pouring on the speed, he felt like he was sprinting as he poured on the last of the speed he needed even as the female Parasite appeared in front of him.

"Time's up junior." Parasite winked.

Superboy Prime just let out an exhausted sigh. Then, fatigue was replaced with triumph as he let out a soft smirk. "You're right. You lose."

"Uh, I don't think so kid." But even as she was ready to celebrate her victory, she felt a strange sensation through her body. She was tingling as she felt something draining her. She felt the power that she had absorbed from him suddenly begin to leave her body.

She looked up at him, confused, only to see him smirking as if at something behind her. Turning around, she saw that they had both come within a bright red sun burning off in the far distance.

"That's a red sun, and since you're new, I'll tell you right now, that's bad for both of us." The Parasite looked back at him as he continued to explain. "It drives out the juice from me, and I'm guessing now, you too." He just seemed to fly back, relaxed now, as he crossed his arms. "The difference is I have crystals in my skin that are feeding me solar energy to keep me going anyway. I'm good for just a few more minutes of this, which is longer than you have."

"You son of a…" But even as the Parasite tried to reach out for him, he just darted away from her with super speed. She tried to follow, but she felt her own speed changing. She felt cold as the air suddenly seemed to fade away from her.

"Here's a lesson I had to learn the hard way." Superboy Prime turned about, preparing to fly off. "Learn to walk before you fly."

And with that, he left her behind as she felt the blood in her skin begin to boil

--

"Well, isn't this my lucky day." The mad villain grinned as he examined his 'prize'. "Not only do I get a promotion to the esteemed position of leader of the Secret Society, I'm also about to get a little 'bonus' on the side. Talk about two birds with one stone."

Laurie could only give a muffled scream. She looked off to the side to see the gang members from earlier caught between the dead end at the other side of the alley and her and this new assailant.

"It's actually rather interesting." Dr. Light mused as he held his hand over Laurie's mouth, all the while savoring the look of fear in her eyes. "I never really saw myself as the leader type. But when the fake Luthor was putting together his Society, well, they saw me as some sort of martyr. I was their poster boy. And now that the bosses are all out of action, I fully intend to submit my name to the list for consideration. I think I'll make a very effective leader, especially when I deliver your boyfriend's head on a platter."

Laurie's muffled cries doubled in volume and panic, still coming out as barely audible shrieks that seemed to only excite Dr. Light.

"I know this comes as small comfort," Dr. Light leaned in, savoring the smell of Laurie's hair, practically salivating at it. "But you are about to join distinguished company."

Dr. Light's hand snaked down to the belt on Laurie's pants. But before they could undo the belt before them, the mad villain's eyes went wide as he suddenly began to tremble, his hold over Laurie dropping as he looked into eyes with terror to reflect her own.

"I'm tired of saying this, so listen good." The voice of Laurie's salvation suddenly came within her line of sight as she let out a relieved gasp, her mouth now free. "No one threatens her!"

Dr. Light tried to cry out as he began to shake and tremble within the grip.

"I never was any good with biology." Superboy Prime hissed angrily as his arm rose, lifting Dr. Light away from Laurie. "I can't tell if that's your liver or one of your kidneys I'm grabbing. Either way, I hope it hurts like hell."

Dr. Light could only let out a soft groan of agony as his right hand began to glow with a bright white light.

"No." Superboy Prime's heat vision seared the hand off completely. Laurie didn't even cry out as the hand fell ineptly to the ground below. Dr. Light ached to cry, but his lungs were incapable of expressing the true agony he felt even as he raised his other hand, attempting to summon his light powers once again.

"I said no!" Superboy Prime reached over with his spare arm, grabbing Dr. Light's spare wrist and ripping it, and his accompanying arm, clean off. "I saw what you did, Dr. Light." Superboy Prime pulled his left hand out from Dr. Light's backside, dropping him to the hard ground. "You're the worst of all of them. There could never be such a thing as a 'good Earth' with trash like you on it."

Superboy Prime took a step back as he looked up at Laurie. "Laurie, run."

"What?" She just stared at him, overwhelmed with horror.

"I said run! I don't want you to see this."

Laurie looked into Superboy Prime's eyes and in a second, felt herself try to hold onto her compassion by summoning some shred of sympathy for Dr. Light. But one look back down at her would-be assailant, and she felt nothing. She simply turned about and ran.

"You're always complaining because the League lobotomized you." Superboy Prime leaned down, facing eye to eye with Dr. Light. "Looks to me like they didn't do such a good job. Don't worry. I'll fix that. But first, I'll make sure you never touch another woman again!"

Superboy Prime's eyes glowed with heat vision as he focused his aim down at Dr. Light's crotch. Deep red beams fired out as a piercing cry echoed throughout the alley.

--

Laurie ran. She didn't know where. She didn't care. She just ran, never bothering to wipe away the tears.

--

Dr. Light let out a soft groan as two marks over his forehead sizzled and smoked. He fell back, his jaw dropping open limply, lifelessly as Superboy Prime tossed him away dismissively.

It was at this that Superboy Prime leveled a hateful glare at the six gang members who had remained perfectly still throughout all of this; trapped, frozen.

"And what were you punks going to do?" Venom seemed to drip from Prime's voice as his eyes continued to glow red with rage. "Help yourself to 'sloppy seconds!" He cried out in anger as he took a long step towards them.

"Hey man." "…it was 'tween her and Ty." "Just kidding." The barge of flimsy excuses and protests of innocence was cut off by a piercing cry.

"DIE!" A bright red glow filled the alley way, punctuated by screams of terrors that were promptly silenced.

--

Laurie kept on running. The world around her blurred and become an incomprehensible prison, closing in all around her, looking at every one of its turns to punish her for who knew what horrible crime she had committed anymore.. She just tried with all her will to become free of it when she felt herself lifted up, swooped clean off her feet.

"No!" She cried out frantically.

"Laurie!" Her own personal guardian angel cried out to her, telling her she was safe. "Laurie, it's me. It's Clark. It's me."

Looking over at her, she seemed to quiet somewhat at this. But her tears continued to run down her perfect face as she buried herself in his shoulders. He said nothing after this; he just continued to fly with her in his arms.

He didn't know where to take her. He wasn't taking her back to that hovel. They were never going back there for as long as either of them was alive.

…

It was some time later as Superboy Prime looked down on the form of Laurie as she continued to sleep, peacefully thank heavens, from atop the Hobbes Bay suspension bridge. From up here, the city seemed so peaceful, so beautiful. Illuminated by the full moon, it was a picture of tranquility. But Prime never cast it a second glance. His attention was fixed instead entirely on Laurie as she slumbered away, blanketed only by his cape which he had taken off to keep her warm.

He was grateful for every second she continued to sleep as his mind was at war with itself. It wasn't supposed to be like this. When he and Alex had first resolved to remake the world perfect it had felt…right. True. To fight against an entire universe that had tried to undo and erase them; what could be more just than that? The universe had already done its worst to them; what more could it do? It wasn't like either he or Alex had anything else to lose.

And then, he had killed. The universe had made him as awful and horrible as everything he was fighting against. And then, it wasn't a fight anymore. It was a war. He had made war against all of creation. And everyone would know the wrath of his war.

But not her. She wasn't supposed to be caught up in this. She didn't deserve this. She was perfect, just like he…had been.

There had to be something he could do for her. Some way to keep her safe. Nothing else mattered as much to him. Nothing.

Could the League protect her? Normally, such a thought would never occur to him. But he knew that the Society had gone after her because he had gone after them. And the Lanterns; they'd come after her too. He could go after the Society and eradicate them. Hunt down the Green Lanterns across the universe. But who would look after her while he was bouncing back and forth through the cosmos?

He was startled out of his brooding as she slowly stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up, her blurring gaze slowly coming into focus.

"Hey." He looked down on her with a warm smile as he assured softly "It's ok. You're safe now."

For a second, her eyes looked away from him. But then her hand reached out, taking his as she looked back at him warmly. "I know."

He just smiled as he looked at her, at the way her hair rested across the hard surface beneath. God, she was so beautiful. "Are you hungry?" He tried to fill in the moment with small talk as he reached behind him to where a pizza box lay untouched, bringing it before her. "I grabbed us something."

She just looked at it for a long second before deciding aloud "Yeah, I'm starved actually."

Opening the box, Clark handed her a slice as he took one for himself. The two ate in complete silence, mostly just enjoying their food and taking in their perfectly illuminated surroundings. When the box was empty, Clark set it aside and looked at Laurie even as she looked off in the distance at the sparkling city before her.

"Clark," she finally spoke "I want to go home."

Superboy Prime just nodded. "I'll take you back home to your mom right away."

"And my dad."

At this, he froze. The entire world stopped. "What?"

Laurie turned back, looking at him for a long second with deep eyes before looking back down at her engagement ring. "I want my dad to give me away at our wedding Clark. I want to see the look on your parents face when we tell them that you're really Superboy."

This caused Laurie to chuckle as Clark continued to stare at her, astonished.

"Can you really do it?" She looked back up at him. If anything other than the truth parted from his lips, she would know it instantly.

"Yes." He looked back at her with a renewed sense of determination. "I can."

At this, she seemed to nod in acknowledgement before leaning forward, wrapping her arms around him. "Let's go home Clark."

--

"So, here I am." Superboy Prime rubbed the back of his head, searching for the proper words to say as he looked down at the tombstone before him. "I meant to come here a long time ago, but I guess with everything that's happened… well, let's just say I've been busy."

Superboy Prime received no response, yet somehow took this as a sign of acknowledgement.

"You know, back when I was on Oa, all I could think of was finding this place. Finding you again and what I'd do when I was finally standing face to face with you one more time."

The wind blew across his face as Superboy Prime stared intently at the grave, marked primarily by the iconic insignia that had been caved into it.

"At first, I thought about burning up your remains and then defecating on them. Then I thought about writing something stupid on your tombstone, as if that would somehow change your memory forever. But I'm not that immature anymore. I know what I have to do."

There was still silence. Naught but the breeze to hear his words.

"In twenty four hours, you'll never have died. You'll never have lived either. Neither you, nor any of the people that you ever cared for will have ever existed. You let your world die right in front of you; I'm going to bring mine back. And it will be perfect."

Superboy Prime couldn't help but smirk as a thought crossed his mind.

"And if I'm really lucky, one day, you'll come back, just like I did." He said, as he rose up into the air, to fly away, leaving the tombstone where it lay. "And then, you'll know what it's like to be a Superboy without a world."


	8. The Blackest Night

_Proud as could be, with all the air of a formal world hero marching down the street in a parade honoring his own triumph, Clark Kent made his way through the front door of the Cow's Hide with his girlfriend Laurie Lemmon resting contently with his arm around her shoulder._

_"Hey, all star!" A blonde Clark's age called out from a booth off to the side where she sat next to her boyfriend, a tall young man Clark's height with deep brown hair. "Over here."_

_"Hey Alex, hey Christy." Laurie waved to the pair as both she and Clark took their seats opposite them in the booth._

_"So, Laurie," Christy smiled speaking to Laurie even though she seemed to be directing the question instead at Clark, "just how does it feel to be dating the New Hampton High School grand slam king?"_

_"One grand slam does not make him a king." Alex interjected, somewhat bitterly._

_Laurie disregard Alex's shallow resentment as she pretend to lament "Oh, it's ok, I suppose. I mean, my mom always did want me to date a sports star."_

_"I always said your mother was a smart lady." Clark teased as he shared a smile with Laurie._

_"Oh lord." Alex groaned at the sight._

_"Cut it out." Christy jabbed with her elbow at her boyfriend's arm, chastising him. _

_There was an awkward pause as Laurie and Clark both seemed to look back and forth between the obviously troubled couple. "Is everything ok?"_

_"We're fine." Christy beat Alex to respond to Clark's question. "So, you two have any big plans for tonight?" As she asked, the blonde raised an eyebrow so as to lace her question with the proper implication._

_"Oh, I dunno." Clark just seemed to shrug as he turned to Laurie who looked up at him expectantly. "You know, just grab a bite to eat, drive around. Maybe head up to the beach."_

_"Sneak in late and crash up in Laurie's room…" Christy finished the evening, teasingly._

_"Hey, you said you were done." Laurie shot an accusatory finger. "Didn't we say we were done with that?"_

_"Ok, ok, relax." Christy smiled, obviously not the least bit ashamed to have been caught in the act of jibbing Clark for having gone up to Laurie's bedroom. The two of them were so slow about their relationship that once the news had hit school, it had been hailed as a milestone for the cautious couple._

_At this, Alex just seemed to shake his head in dismay. "You know, it's not fair, I tell you. It's not fair."_

_"Uh-oh." Laurie groaned._

_"Here it comes." Clark sighed, knowing full well this evening would not be complete until he endured this small little torment._

_"Alex, don't." Christy pleaded._

_"I ask you, who was it that has hit over ten home runs for our school this season?" Alex seemed to ignore the group's moanings._

_A collective sigh went across the table before Clark stepped up to answer "You."_

_"And who was it," Alex went on, his voice clearly picking up momentum "that took the trouble to train our dear Clark Kent here to even connect a bat with a ball in motion?"_

_"You." Christy replied as her eyes rolled, all the while she silently pleaded with her eyes for Clark and Laurie to endure through this tantrum._

_"So then, following that reasoning, who was it, really, out there tonight, that hit that beauty of a grand slam?" Alex finally asked to prove his point._

_"Clark." Laurie answered matter of factly._

_"And he couldn't have done it without you." Christy added in a most obviously condescending manner, tapping him on the top of his head as if he were a pet being applauded for performing a trick on command. "Now can we drop it?"_

_"What do you want?" Clark asked with a sigh._

_"Oh, so now you want to bribe me?" Alex feigned indignation that didn't fool anyone for a second. "You want to buy off my pain and suffe-"_

_"If I give you the answers to the math homework, will that make you happy?" Clark cut right to the chase._

_"Yes." Alex admitted quickly._

_"Done." Clark agreed with a nod._

_"Good. Now that that's out of the way," Alex let out with a sigh, relieved he was no longer going to have to race home after this and fill in some numbers and formulas that looked like he had done the actual assignment. Alex raised his head and looked up at Clark with genuine pride and approval as he declared "That was some awesome hit you had out there man."_

_"Could never have hit it without you." Clark smiled back._

_"Aww." Christy applauded mockingly, quickly joined in by Laurie. "It's a Kodak moment."_

_"You know maybe we should leave them alone." Laurie looked at Christy with a smirk on their face. "I mean if they're going to start hugging and crying, I don't want to lose my appetite."_

_Clark gave Laurie a playful yet defiant nudge to the side of her shoulder. "You're a sucker for that hugging and crying stuff and you know it. I've seen those romance novels you keep in your room."_

_"Oh, oh, careful." Laurie held up her finger with a tone of voice that reminded Clark of his mother when she used to scold him. "You say a wrong word here and you are going to the Halloween dance alone mister."_

_"Oh yeah." Alex perked up at this. "The dance. Finally, I no longer have to hide behind my shy, withdrawn self and can finally let loose with my wild and free willed ways."_

_This caused everyone at the table to laugh as Alex began to dance to music that wasn't being played._

_"So," Christy looked over at the couple opposite her. "You two have any ideas for costumes yet?"_

_Clark just shook an eyebrow confidently as he looked over at Laurie knowingly. "Oh, I have an idea or two."_

--

Laurie continued to wait on the sidewalk just as Clark had instructed. Standing on the corner of the street, all but bouncing where she stood, she felt herself shiver.

The air was quite warm. And as the sun began to rise in the horizon, its rays darting in between the Metropolis skyline, she felt as if it was ok to let out a breath. But she kept it held in. She wouldn't allow herself to relax until he had returned.

So when a sudden gust of air swept in and lifted her off her feet, she felt her heart settle and the breath that she had been holding in suddenly escape as she looked over at the charming face looking back at her.

"Hey good looking." Superboy Prime smirked. "Going my way?"

Laurie just smiled as she leaned in, planting a needed kiss on his lips. "Absolutely."

--

"You're saying he just walked in through the front door and placed an order?" Clark Kent cast a critical eye at the grease stained man on the other side of the counter, making sure that his super sensitive ears had heard him properly.

"Oh yeah." The assistant manager of 'Pie Heaven Pizza Parlor' nodded with a thick accent that reminded the reporter of his old friend Bibbo Bibowski as he rubbed his hand across his five o'clock shadow that looked like he'd spent the last several days growing. "'Was just like the real deal except, you know, shorter. He asks for a pie with nothing. I tell him it's free if he can prove he's the real deal so he just picks up two chairs with customers in 'em and holds 'em in each hand. I even got a picture."

Clark took the photograph as the man removed it from its resting place tacked to the side wall. Sure enough, he quickly recognized the image of Superboy Prime as he held two seats with astonished patrons in them in both his hands. It appeared that he had even taken the trouble to sign his photograph.

"I even saw him fly right off with his pie." The unshaven manager went on.

"Thanks for the tip sir. I'll be sure to mention you in my article." Clark Kent nodded, slipping a twenty dollar bill onto the counter before heading out of the diner. Once out onto the street, he made his way around a corner and into an alley, discarding his civilian clothing faster than anyone could see as he leapt up into the air. "Batman, its Superman. I've got a lead on him here in Metropolis."

"I've got a better lead." Batman replied through Superman's ear piece without hesitation, as if the Dark Knight had been anticipating this report in and just how he would let the hot air out of Superman's balloon.

"Well don't keep it to yourself. Where?" Superman wasn't in the mood for his usual banter with the Dark Knight. Also, he hated it every time Batman did that, which he suspected Batman knew all too well.

"The Antarctic."

--

When Clark had told her of their destination, Laurie had frantically insisted to him that she didn't have anything even remotely appropriate to wear with regards to the climate. However, he'd assured her that it wouldn't be an issue and she wouldn't even so much as feel a shiver the entire time. That had been all the assurance she'd needed.

Now, as she flew in his arms, his eyes glowing a light crimson which gave off enough radiant heat to keep her warm, she was absolutely transfixed by the landscape before her. The vast frozen arctic seemed to stretch on forever in front of her. Not another living thing in sight. It was so beautiful. It was amazing what several thousand feet did to one's perspective.

"Where are we headed?" She called out, almost hoping that they might never arrive, or that it was at least another hour away.

"There." Superboy Prime nodded to indicate ahead of them. Laurie looked up to see an enormous, orange, tower-like structure jutting out in the middle of the otherwise bright white landscape. As the two flew closer, Laurie could see for herself just how massive the structure really was.

Standing at just over a dozen stories tall and perhaps some fifty yards in diameter, Laurie guessed it to be of completely alien design as she regarded the unusual circuitry adorning its sides. At the very top of the tower appeared to be a mass of crystal, though definitely not ice, whose purpose she could only guess at.

"Clark, what is this?" Laurie asked as Superboy Prime carried her to the very top of the tower. The crystal, she now recognized, was the same substance as the chunk that Clark had brought to her apartment and used to restore her memory. It had been formed somehow into a wall that surrounded the top of the tower, leaving a large central area where Clark brought the both of them down on. Landing, Laurie expected to be immediately assaulted by the brutal arctic winds, only instead to find the temperature quite comfortably moderated, she guessed, by the tower itself.

"This is how I'm going to bring back our Earth." Superboy Prime answered as he gently set her down.

"How?" After everything she had seen of Clark, she could have sworn that nothing he did anymore would shock her. But still, she couldn't resist knowing how this all fit into that plan.

"Laurie, when I was in that dimension I told you about, I saw you and my parents crash your car." Superboy Prime noticed her wince at the memory but pressed on. "When I did, I tried to escape by punching at the barriers of that dimension. And then something happened."

"What?"

"Things changed." Superboy Prime explained, his tone indicating that he was largely as confused by the whole notion as she was. "I can't really explain it. All I know is that when I combined my power with the crystals of that dimension, it created some kind of wave that randomly altered this reality."

"And, that's what you're going to do here?" Laurie asked, beginning to understand.

"Exactly." He smiled at her. "Only this time, it's going to be focused. I'm going to direct my full power through this tower and into these crystals." Clark gestured to the crystalline wall surrounding them. "Properly focused and directed, it will unleash a wave that will completely erase this world and replace it all at once with our Earth."

At his words, Superboy Prime could see Laurie look around uncertainly. He took this opportunity to step up to her, placing his hands at her shoulders.

"Laurie," he looked at her pleadingly "I need you with me. I can't do this by myself."

Laurie looked back up at him. Silencing any doubts he might still hold as to her allegiance, she placed her right hand over the side of his face as she stated "I am with you Clark, no matter what. But what do you need me for?"

"I need you to remember Earth Prime." Superboy Prime gestured once again to the crystals surrounding her. "The tower is going to take my power and focus it into the crystals, but it's the crystals that are going to be doing all the work, unleashing the wave we need. But in order to bring back Earth Prime, I need you to focus them to bring back the proper Earth by remember it. Our Earth. Once you do, images of it will start to appear in these crystals."

Laurie looked at Clark somewhat skeptically but trusted in his lead as she had done since he rescued her. Closing her eyes, she tried to think back. Back to time in high school.

"No Laurie." Superboy Prime cried out as he saw the images the crystals were generating. "That's not our Earth. That's not our high school."

"Yes it is." Laurie looked at the images that Clark was referring to. "It's… no wait. You're right." Laurie could scarcely believe it. "I remember. Our high school had a different color brick on the building." Even as Laurie spoke, trying to sift her memories of her own earth and home with the ones this universe had imposed on her of home, the images from the crystals shifted once again.

"Yes, that's it!" Superboy Prime exclaimed at the new images. "Laurie, I need you to stay focused on…" but something from off in the distance caught Superboy Prime's attention. He looked off in another direction and Laurie guessed correctly that he was using his super vision to see something that her normal eyes couldn't.

"Clark, what is it?"

"We've got company." He explained coldly.

--

As soon as Oracle's satellites had picked up the newly built structure within the Antarctic, the call had gone out. Within seconds, over half the worlds costumed heroes had called in all at once demanding to know just two things: when and where?

Now an army of heroes with might enough to shatter the world raced, either under their own power or cramped within the Justice League's Javelin, right across the frozen fields of the Antarctic towards the newly constructed tower.

"Remember everyone; we work together as a team. First we contain him, and then we close in." Superman's words were heard loud and clear over the JLA com line. "No one try to take him on head to head. We hit him hard, we hit him fast, and we don't stop until he's down."

"J'onn," Batman's voice came in over the radio "can you tell whether or not he's spotted us."

"Indeed." The Martian replied calmly as he reached out with his mind. "I can sense him…yes, he is aware of our approach and… good heavens!" At this, the Martian Manhunter's dispassionate exterior shattered in terror as he broke off his mind link. "We must stop him. He is planning to unleash a distortion wave that will pass over this world. When it does, everything and everyone on this world will be erased."

"You mean 'replaced'." Superman asked as the motives of his counter part suddenly came into crystal clarity.

"He's trying to bring back his Earth." Power Girl exclaimed. "Son of a… he actually found a way."

"Not a chance." The Flash insisted, determined as he attempted to redouble his speed. "He's mine."

--

"They're coming." Superboy Prime continued to look right through the crystals at the assembled army, but there was no need. His mind had already conjured forth images of the heroes on the crystal wall surrounding him and Laurie, and both could see them perfectly.

The images of the heroes, showing mixed faces running the gambit from stone determination to barely restrained rage caused Laurie to pause as she reached out and grabbed at Clark's cape. "Clark, I don't want you to fight them."

At this, Superboy Prime, turned and smiled assuringly. "Don't worry. I never planned to."

With that, Superboy Prime rose up into the air, flying down towards the base of his tower and a specially designed control console that he had constructed to activate the tower. He knew those stupid heroes would show up to try and stop them. They were too horrible not to try and ruin everything. So this time, he had prepared for it.

During the original Crisis, there was a lull in the conflict during which the Anti-Monitor was believed slain. Only five Earths remained, partially connected by various 'warp zones' in which time had become skewed and one could walk from one Earth right to the next.

It was the living computer Brainiac and the Lex Luthor of Earth One that took advantage of the situation by uniting the villains of the five Earths together under one banner and leading them to conquer three of the five remaining worlds. They then erected a barrier blocking off their conquered Earths from the two remaining, and threatened to destroy all five at once unless all worlds surrendered to them. Such was the advanced nature of this barrier that all efforts, ranging from sheer strength to overwhelming energy based powers to even mystical enchantments were unable to penetrate it.

Of course, due to the very restructuring of time and space, no one left alive remembered this. No one that is, except the only remaining survivor of the multiverse.

Though Superboy Prime had not yet joined the fight during that point, he and all the others in the Crystal Dimension had looked on over the events of the Crisis a hundred times and a hundred more. He had seen this happen, watched Brainiac and Lex design the technology used to create the barrier that had kept the heroes of five Earth's at bay.

It had originally taken the heroes of the multiverse hours to find a way to pierce it. Superboy Prime needed only seconds. He let out a triumphant smirk as he pressed the necessary controls, activating the technology.

The barrier came to life, emanating outward from the tower and spreading two miles out in all directions with the tower at the center of its protected field. Reaching its maximum distance, the field hardened and stopped.

Superboy Prime had to smile as he looked on with his telescopic vision. He needed this. As much as he longed to just race over and activate the tower, there were two things he had to attend to. The first was to make sure that Laurie was ready and set and the second was to savor the look of helplessness on the faces of the heroes, if only for a few seconds.

He'd won, they'd lost.

--

The Flash had been the first to reach the barrier. While transparent, the barrier was hardly invisible. It left a kind of sheen over the air as if it were made of solid glass. In truth, the barrier was actually solid force and when the Flash had attempted to vibrate his molecules through it, he'd ended up smacking head long into it without success.

Now, the edge had become a battlefield of its own as the heroes unleashed their combined powers as a single force. Their efforts thundered for miles in all directions, filling the otherwise tranquil air with a roar that could have easily been mistake for Armageddon itself.

Yet still the barrier held.

"Keep at it!" Superman yelled as his fists continued to impact on the barrier of solid force. "We have to find a way in."

"We're coming up with nothing." Power Girl cried out as she continued to hammer at the barrier as well. "Even the mystics can't get through it."

"We'll make way ladies." Power Girl's super sensitive ears immediately recognized the voice of the one and only Guy Gardner as he and his fellow Green Lanterns from Earth suddenly descended from the sky. "Cause the Corps is back in the game."

"Sorry we're late." Hal apologized. "Catch up?"

"We've got under a minute to get through this damn force field before Prime erases the entire world." The Flash explained through a red blur to fast to be seen even as he continued to race over and around the perimeter of the field, his super fast fists systematically pounding every inch of its surface, looking for weak points. "And so far, we're not having any luck."

"Then let me try." Ion spoke as he made his way straight for the barrier, completely ignoring the dozens of heroes as they continued to unleash their full powers against it. Glowing bright emerald, Ion's hands reached out for the barrier as if to tear it open.

Instead, his hands seemed to disappear right into it as emerald energy radiated out from where his palms should have been. The energies he was unleashing were cackling around his arms as Ion cried out in pain as he continued to push on. The barrier was resisting, yet Ion held his position, hovering over the ground high into the air, reaching into the shield. "It's strong… I can't… keep it up alone."

"You heard the man, lend a hand Lanterns." Jon Stewart spoke out as all three Green Lanterns directed their power rings into Ion, matching beams lancing out into his backside, feeding him strength. As the energy flowed into him, Ion clenched his teeth together, fighting past the pain as he continued to press into the barrier.

Sweat poured down his brow at an obscene rate but he dared not break his effort to wipe it away. The barrier was thick, powerful. He could feel it giving way, but he needed more.

Overhead, the famous Batplane soared as the Dark Knight himself looked down upon the sight, his legendary mind quickly analyzing the situation. "Flash." The Batman cried out into the JLA com-line. "Vibrate."

"It's no good." The Flash answered back as he continued to run up and down, back and forth across the surface of the barrier. "I can't vibrate through it."

"Not you." Batman replied. "Ion."

Flash turned over to the sight of emerald energies cackling all about as Ion pressed on. "Oh yeah. Good call."

In the blink of an eye, the Flash was at Ion's side, placing his hand on the decoration of stars and cosmic phenomena that made up his costume, a literal window to the universe. Directing his power over the speed force through Ion, the Flash attempted to vibrate his friend's molecules at such a speed that he could pass through the barrier.

With the assistance of the Flash, Ion felt the barrier give way for him all at once. He felt himself practically shoot through, startled by his own momentum as he fell straight to the cold, thick snow beneath.

Pulling himself up and looking back, he saw the look of exclamation and relief at his triumph on the faces of his comrades. He saw several of them attempt to speak to him, but the barrier seemed to be blocking out all sound.

Reaching out to them, Kyle was astonished to find his hand pass through the barrier without resistance. In an instance, the Flash appeared, taking Ion's hand as he attempted to pull the Flash through.

However, when the Flash's body made contact with the barrier, it stopped dead in its tracks. Evidently, the barrier was one way, allow things to leave, but not enter.

"Kyle." Hal Jordan's voice came in loud and clear as a communication orb manifested within Ion's spare hand. "Kyle, can you hear me?"

"Yeah." Ion said even as he looked up from the glowing orb in his hand to the sight of his friend on the other side of the shield, where he could see Hal Jordan was indeed speaking into his ring. "Give me a second to figure out how to get everyone through."

"Forget us." Hal insisted resolutely. "Stop him. We'll catch up."

"But, what about you?" Ion insisted.

"If you don't stop him, none of us will be around to miss the action." Hal replied. "Get him."

Ion looked up, out through the barrier and back at his friends and teammates, reading their faces. Across every one of them, he read the same words loudly and clearly.

Kick his butt!

He didn't delay any further. Summoning up the emerald energies that had become a very part of his being, he rose up into the air and made his way straight for his target.

--

From his control station at the base of the tower, Superboy Prime was fast at work. Fortunately, everything seemed to in order. A quiet chuckle worked its way through his system as he felt himself wishing Alex were here just so that he could see all that he'd accomplished. Prime knew all too well that Alex underestimated him. Even when he'd ordered Superboy Prime to build his tower for him at super speed, it was obvious he thought that Prime was too dumb to understand any of the tower's intricacies or secrets, much less ever understand enough to build one of his own.

Everything was set. As Prime pressed down on a specific control, a platform with a headpiece resembling a full helmet resting at the center, with wires that connected back to the main tower rose up from beneath the ground.

Superboy Prime felt his breath stop and huddle in his chest as he moved up to the platform. Reaching down, he picked up the special headpiece and placed it over the top of his scalp, resting the front comfortably over his eyes. Once it was ready, he'd only need to focus his heat vision through it, which in turn would channel it into the tower and through the crystals.

He never had a chance to appreciate the feel of the device over his head before a power blast knocked him right off the platform and into the cold frozen ground, smashing his platform and the entire apparatus to rubble.

"NO!" Superboy Prime cried out at the sight even as he turned to look up. There was no way any of the heroes could have made it through. Not in such a short amount of time.

"I'm only going to give you one warning." Ion hovered over him, eyeing Superboy Prime steely. "Stand down and you won't be hurt."

"You." Superboy Prime spit out as he picked himself up out of the cold snow. "I thought I sent you running."

"I'm not afraid of you." Ion's hands began glowing brightly. "Last chance; stand down."

Superboy Prime responded with twin heat beams from his eyes. "No."

The beams shot right into Ion who made no move to block them. Instead of burning though, the beams seemed to pass right into the very stars and space that Ion's costume manifested, disappearing completely. "Fine."

Ion's palms extended outward as twin emerald beams retaliated, blasting into Superboy Prime with thunderous impact, knocking the young man back. Even as Prime fell, Ion took this moment to concentrate, releasing a small emerald orb of energy. With nothing but a silent prayer on his lips, Ion directed this tiny orb to fly at earth shattering speeds up and out for the top of the barrier. Wishing it gods speed, Ion turned his attention towards the more pressing matter before him.

"You can't stop me." Superboy Prime cried out with burning rage as he flew right at Ion. "I've killed hundreds of Green Lanterns, you'll be no different."

"I'm not a Green Lantern." With this, Kyle Rayner reached deep inside of himself as he created for himself a thick, twenty foot tall war machine resembling S.T.R.I.P.E.'s, whose canopy he sat comfortably in. Standing upright, Ion felt the hum of power as his new body suit, engraved with the Lantern emblem at the front seemed to roar to life. "I'm Ion." He declared as his suit seemed to pose, tensing its arms. "And you're going to answer for your crimes."

Hatches opened up all across the armor as a barrage of weapons, ranging from missiles to Gatling guns rained down at the charging Superboy Prime. Of course if these had been actual projectile weapons from earth, they'd have had less than no effect on him. But as they were instead manifestations of Ion's power, they continued to batter and kick around the kryptonian.

"You know Ion;" Superboy Prime called out as he pressed his way through the barrage, diving straight for his opponent, "you're not of Earth One anymore than I am." Reaching up to the emerald armor, Superboy Prime punched right into the center, his powerful muscles tearing the suit apart, leaving Ion to fly out as the armor dissolved all around him. "Alex told me. He said that you are from Earth Eight, or you would have been if the multiverse hadn't been destroyed."

Ion didn't respond. He just continued to fly, putting some distance between himself at his foe. From out of the glowing emerald emblem in his chest, a full company of decorated knights on horse top began to form as they 'rode' through the air straight at Superboy Prime.

"I saw what Earth Eight would have been like." With a blast of heat vision, this pitiful display was torn asunder. Darting out at super speed, Superboy Prime grasped Ion by the throat, causing him to choke as the Prime held him firm. "I saw you. And I saw her." Superboy Prime paused for slight effect, making sure he held his audience's attention as he said "I saw Alex."

At this, Kyle's eyes went wide. He gasped for only a second, his will and concentration faltering.

"I could show you her if you'd like. I could show you what she wore to your wedding." At this, Prime sneered as he pulled Ion just an inch closer, whispering loudly enough for him to hear "Or would you rather just know what name the two of you picked for your first child?"

For a long moment, Ion froze, eyes as wide as saucers, his mind racing at the thoughts, the implications.

An emerald blast shot out, knocking Superboy Prime to the ground. He landed hard in an impact of snow and dirt and looked up at the towering Ion.

"No."

"You stupid…" Prime was cut off as an emerald gargantuan with a bulldozer for arms came down upon him, pressing him into the ground with bone crushing potential.

"A week ago, my mother died. I thought it was from natural causes, but it turns out it was Sinestro. He killed her. Wanted to corrupt me with grief and guilt like the Cyborg Superman did to Hal. Make me the next Parallax I guess."

The emerald created construct was torn asunder as Superboy Prime hissed in anger. He heard every one of Ion's words, but paid them no heed. He instead flew right up at Ion.

"Bad things happen."

A pre-created emerald bolt struck Superboy Prime from behind. The sheer force of it was enough to stun Superboy Prime, knocking him over two hundred yards away, causing him to skid as he hit the frozen ground.

"It doesn't matter if you deserve them or not. They happen. We try to stop them but when we can't, then we have to accept it. We have to go on, cling to what we still have in our lives."

Superboy Prime's head burst up from beneath the snow, his eyes glowing rage red as he quickly turned back to Ion. As he looked, he saw an emerald bubble surround his person, trapping him.

"But we don't just stop everything. Try to tear it all down and rebuild until we get what we want."

"You wouldn't understand." Superboy Prime cried out his heat vision crashed against the bubble enclosing him. "Your mother still has people who remember her. Who miss her. We gave everything for the universe and no one remembered us. They all forgot like we never existed!"

"And that's a tragic story" Ion admitted honestly "Right up until the part where you tried to destroy the universe just so you could feel special."

"I am special!" Superboy Prime's fist smashed the emerald bubble into harmless shards. "I'm going to save my Earth. I'm going to bring back everyone I knew. Everyone I loved. And you can't stop me."

Superboy Prime rose up in the air yet did not move to attack again. Instead, he and Ion hovered a hundred yards or so apart, staring one another down.

"You won't stop me."

"Ok then." Ion looked Superboy Prime squarely in the eyes. "Enough with the 'self help'. Let's get down to basics. You've murdered one hundred and twenty four Green Lanterns." As he spoke, Ion's power began to manifest those very Lanterns. Every one of them began to appear, taking shape out of pure green energy as they surrounded Ion. "Your actions led to the Rann-Thanagar war which resulted in billions of deaths." On the ground beneath, more figures began to appear. Countless figures of all shapes and sizes seemed to all but completely cover the landscape with their emerald forms. "And here and now, you are going to answer for every one of those lives."

--

"Holy crap." Guy Gardner looked on through a pair of emerald binoculars.

"What?" Wonder Woman called out as she and the others still desperately sought a way to pierce that accursed barrier. "Is Ion…?"

"Kicking some serious ass!" Guy cried out with delight. At once, a renewed sense of morale and inspiration surged through the assembled heroes.

"Well come on then." Alan Scott called out as he renewed his own attack on the barrier. "Let's give the man some back up already."

"What about the rest of us?" From down below, standing alongside the Teen Titans and his family in the Doom Patrol, Beast Boy called out. "What are the rest of us supposed to do? Form a cheering section?"

"Sounds like a good idea." Wonder Girl admitted. Then, turning in the direction where she could see the battle raging, she cupped her hands over her mouth as she cried out "Get him Ion."

All at once, heroes unable to offer any effort against the barrier began to cry out in cheer, praising Ion on while the others battering against the shield redoubled their efforts as a renewed sense of hope seemed to fill the entire group.

--

"Get off me!" Superboy Prime cried out as the emerald Lanterns tackled him in the air, dragging him down to the ground below. Even as Prime tore through them with a large blast of heat vision, he was immediately swarmed by the endless hoards of his 'victims' on the ground beneath. "I said get off me!"

On and on they poured like an endless sea of faces attempting to drown him through sheer numbers. He swatted and smashed and lashed out at all of them, but they continued to come. Spinning his fists around like a top, he cleared away enough space that he was finally able to propel himself up into the air.

His breath of freedom was short lived as a powerful emerald fist slammed into his side, stunning him. Prime hissed with rage, only to freeze in fear as he saw just who had hit him.

"No!" Superboy Prime cried out at the sight. "You're dead. You died!"

The emerald recreation of Conner Kent didn't answer. He just flew outward, punching Prime squarely in the jaw. Instead of attacking though, Superboy Prime attempted to fly away, only to be caught by something or someone from behind.

"Not you too!" Superboy Prime looked up to see the stern, hateful gaze of the older Superman. Made of pure emerald just like all the others, the older Superman of Earth 2 caught him in a full nelson lock, pressing his arms down tightly while catching Superboy Prime's arms in between his armpits.

Prime was too panicked to go for the more obvious escape from the maneuver. He just tried to force his way out even as the original Superboy flew straight at him, continuing to hammer him relentlessly.

"The guilt's still in there, isn't it?" Ion's voice seemed to echo from every one of his constructs, producing the effect of an enormous chorus all eerily speaking with a single voice. "That's why you're so bent on wiping away all existence, isn't it? So you can wipe away all the guilt as well."

"Don't you dare psycho analyze me!" Superboy Prime cried out even as his heat vision tore the Superboy construct in half. Then, freeing himself from the Superman construct, he turned around and punched right through it, causing it too to fade away before his eyes.

"All's fair in love and war kid." Right on cue, a small explosion off in the distance informed Ion that his army of the walking dead had managed to tear apart something that was hopefully the generator for the shield protecting Prime's tower.

Sure enough, Ion watched the barrier seem to simmer and flicker overhead. Obviously, it wasn't quite the shield generator, but it was something important. Hopefully a power source.

"No." Superboy Prime looked as his shield began to fall. It was all too soon; he hadn't had a chance to activate the tower yet. "NO! You won't stop me! No one will stop me again!"

An emerald dot on the horizon caught Ion's eye as it streaked soundlessly towards Superboy Prime from behind, right on time.

"I'm sorry kid. But I don't have any other choice.

--

The heroes outside the barrier paused as they saw it flicker on and off for several long seconds. Each frozen, waiting to see, they watched as the barrier finally went down.

"Everyone, mov…" but Superman's order was cut off as an emerald streak the size of car blazed past the collected heroes and moved towards the tower in the distance.

"What the heck was that?" Guy Gardner asked.

"Doesn't matter." Hal stated, guessing correctly the emerald streak to be a part of Ion's strategy. "Let's get in there."

But even as the heroes began to move, the barrier slowly shimmered and flickered back to life, stopping the heroes dead in their tracks.

"Aw come on!" Power Girl insisted as she beat her strong fist against it ineffectively once more.

--

From her position atop the tower, Laurie had strained and struggled to make out the fight. She had only been able to see streaks of emerald and crimson tear across the sky, along with the occasional explosions of snow and ice decorating the horizon, but for her part couldn't tell whether Clark was winning or losing.

That was when she saw it.

She might have almost guessed it was a shooting star or a comet, except it was flying a half a mile over the surface of the planet, it was pure emerald green, and it was heading straight for Clark.

A fear clutched at Laurie's throat even as she called out in warning.

--

Superboy Prime's sensitive hearing detected Laurie's cry of warning, but it was too little too late. As he turned to see the emerald comet already no more than fifty feet away, he saw it burst before him.

Red heat and gases seared away snow and ice, but the frozen white of the Antarctic was not Ion's target.

Superboy Prime was.

"Red sun." Superboy Prime cried out in pain as the searing gases and super heated plasma of a red star poured over his skin and costume, sapping his charge away.

"I collected enough to stop even you." Ion insisted even as he fired two large emerald blasts from his palms, blasting Superboy Prime to the ground.

Prime impacted hard on the ground but ignored the blast itself. Instead, hissing and crying out in anger and pain, he desperately attempted to wipe the red solar matter from his person. His panic brought the crystals within his skin racing, pouring their stores of solar energy into his cells to keep him fighting. Frantically clearing away the goop from his skin, he never even noticed as Ion landed directly on top of him, a specially constructed syringe in his hand that he wielded with surgical precision as he drove it with all his power through Superboy Prime's skin, pressing down on the handle and injecting Batman's virus directly into Prime's bloodstream.

"Don't touch me!" Superboy Prime spun around, hitting Ion directly across the face and knocking him back. Reaching over to the side of his neck, Prime pulled out the empty needle, crushing it in his bare hands. "What did you do to me?"

"I just popped your balloon kid." Ion moaned as he tried to regain his bearings.

"What does that mean?" Prime didn't even wait for a response. He was at Ion's side in a flash, his super fast fist smashing into Ion. Even with his personal field up, Ion could feel the blows.

Impact after impact came faster than Ion could react. As the world around him blurred, Ion realized all too late his mistake. He should have used the virus first, and then hit Prime with his little 'red sun bomb'. He'd wanted to take some of the fight out of him first, soften him up so that he could get the needle through his skin, but he hadn't counted on the extent of Prime's reserves.

"This doesn't change anything." Prime screamed into Ion's ear as he continued his assault. "I'm still going to bring back my Earth. I'm going to go home again. And you can all rot."

With a last, earth shaking crush, Prime's blow laid Ion down. Standing over the battered hero, Prime leaned down to whisper as though Ion might hear him "It was a daughter. Ashley. You named her Ashley Rayner."

Prime took in a deep breath as he stood up, his body aching. He had to move fast. While there was still time, he had to set off his wave, before anything else happened.

It was then that he saw the barrier overhead begin to shimmer and fade once more. He couldn't tell the cause, nor did it seem to matter as all around, his shield fell.

--

"What the…?" Captain Marvel looked back, clearly surprised as the shield, after resisting his tireless assault, suddenly faltered and failed before his very eyes. "Did I do that?"

"I don't think any of us did that." Wonder Woman observed.

"Alright Kyle!" Guy let out the cheer. "He won!"

"No, he's down!" Superman spoke as he eyed the sight clearly. "And Prime is heading towards his tower."

"Then we get in after him." The Batplane raced over head in lead of the group as the heroes behind quickly followed. Whatever had disabled the shield, it was going to have to wait for later. For now, the fate of the entire world rested on their shoulders.

--

_It is done, though my guilt is far from alleviated. _

_I had hoped not to have become involved so openly. But I am left without any choice in this._

_A long time ago, I took the defense of the multiverse, of all creation, upon myself. To protect existence itself from my own hideous doppelganger. I consider all my efforts to have been a disastrous failure. It was only by the sacrifice of my own life that I was able to save five of countless universes and this merely delayed their destruction._

_When I could not continue the fight, I passed on my knowledge to a small boy. An orphan of but one of the worlds that I had failed to protect. It was to him that I left the fight to save all life. I shared with him my plans and my secrets; my countless discoveries of the nature of the multiverse._

_The multiverse was never meant to be in the first place. In the end, all the Earths were unified into a single new Earth. The best outcome possible I suppose. Trillions were still erased but at least the universe was as it was intended to be. The battle was won and life endured on this new Earth._

_Except my heir would not leave it at that. The very boy who I entrusted to save all life took my gifts, the knowledge that I left him, and used it. Tried to recreate the multiverse, but for his own obsessed ends. Now the multiverse has been reborn, splintered into fifty two separate Earths._

_An Earthman once stated that an object cannot exist in two places at the same time. He could never have guessed how fundamental this observation was to the very nature of the universe._

_This other Superboy is a greater danger than even he knows. His very existence remains a continued inconsistency in this universe; like a loose thread in the fabric of reality. And the longer he remains the more threads he loosens as well. _

_I have failed. The more I examine it, the more I can admit to no other conclusion. My efforts to safe guard the nature of the universe have resulted in disaster, and this Superboy is but one result of my failure. His actions are as much on my hands as on his and as I watch the heroes of this Earth rally together against him, I can only hope that they are enough to redeem at least one of us._


	9. The Fall

_All around, space was on fire. The stars that burned in the distance were completely obscured as anti-matter burned all around them. And so far away yet seemingly so close, on the surface of the very moon that had been his base of operation, the Anti-Monitor stood, wounded but very much alive._

_"No! Stay there." Superman cried back to Firestorm as he carried Psycho Pirate and Kid Flash through the slowly collapsing portal leading back to their own universe. Rage burned in Superman's face, perfectly mirrored by Lady Quark at the two flew side by side. "I can handle this myself."_

_"Not as long as I am here, Superman." Lady Quark cried out, more than eager to claim her pound of this monster's flesh. Already, her universe had died; her daughter and her husband taken before her very eyes. And before this was done, she would see the Anti-Monitor answer for those lives with his own._

_Yet neither of the two would see this happen as a well placed blow capable of leveling a mountain range or shattering a moon struck the pair from behind. "Both of you can forget it." The older Superman cried out as he apologized after the deed "Sorry, but this is the only way."_

_As the two fell limp in space, Superboy Prime raced towards them and the older Superman. Stunned by what he had seen, Superboy remained silent as the Superman of Earth 2 explained to the unconscious forms of those he had just struck. "You people have too much to life for. I don't…" Superman chocked for only a second at the memory of his Lois "Not any longer. In our reborn universe my krypton never existed. That means I don't exist. And I don't want to—not without the woman I love." _

_Superboy Prime felt himself freeze at attention as the old Superman turned to look up at him. The greatest hero of all and he was looking straight at Superboy with utter confidence as he insisted "Take them back to Earth and stay there." Superman let out a short breath as he turned back to the raging form of the Anti-Monitor. "I know what needs to be done. Do what I say, and no arguments."_

_Superboy Prime could only nod as he scooped up the other Superman and Lady Quark in his arms. This was out of his league. He wasn't really a hero like everyone else involved in this. He was just some kid who, by sheer astonishing cosmic coincidence, was from krypton. He knew how out of place he was. If there was some purpose, some horrible reason for him being here, then this was it. With his passengers safely secured, Superboy Prime took off, racing straight for the shrinking portal._

_'Everyone says he was the first true hero,' Superboy Prime thought silently to himself as he raced through blazing space. 'Now I see why. He's the most incredible man I've ever known.' Looking back for a second at the legend whose shadow he could only dream of following in, Superboy Prime watched as the Superman of Earth 2 flew face to face against the Anti-Monitor, the being who had ended hundreds of realities, including Superboy's own. 'I'll pray for you, Superman. I really will.'_

_Superboy Prime flew on, never daring to turn around. Yet his own super hearing, which he'd only just begun to understand and control, was able to detect the shocks being emanated from the battle. Superboy didn't need to turn around to know that the battle raging on behind him was epic._

_'The way back to Earth is closing…' Prime regarded as the portal in front of him continued to shrink and shrink with each passing moment. 'Only a few more seconds before it's sealed forever. Need to put on a burst of super speed.'_

_But before he could, Prime froze. Though he couldn't see it, his mind's eye reached out to Earth, an Earth without his parents, without Laurie. _

_'But what's waiting for me there? Nothing!' At this, Superboy Prime turned back just in time to see the Anti-Monitor cry out with a roar that seemed to shake the empty space around him as he staggered from another of Superman's blows. 'And if I go, Superman will be fighting that thing alone. He needs me…' Superboy Prime swallowed a lump in his throat as admitted 'and I need him.'_

_Looking down at the unconscious bodies in his arms, Superboy Prime took a deep breath before harnessing the skill and power of his throwing arm. Praying that his seasons on the New Hampton High School baseball team weren't all for nothing, he winded up and let the two fly, his aim carrying them straight for the portal. _

_'I'm sorry for treating you two so roughly,' Superboy Prime let out a half frightened smirk as he watched them sail through the void on course 'but I know you'll forgive me. I have to stay here and help him. You'll be safe with all the others.' He watched the two disappear through the portal as it seemed to collapse just behind them. 'Good-bye Earth… good bye.'_

_"Superboy," Alex Luthor called out through the agony he was under as he continued to push what remained of his anti-matter powers to their limits. "I-I cannot hold the rift open any longer. Hurry."_

_"No Alex." Superboy Prime called back as he flew with a sense of purpose and determination that he had never before known in his life. "I'm staying here."_

--

The ice of the Antarctic shook. The sky seemed to howl in protest to battle that raged on deep within it's heart as Superboy Prime stood alone and unaided, fighting with all his rage and power to protect his tower against the combined might of almost every hero on Earth.

If anyone from Vegas had been able to make a spectacle of the event, there'd be even odds going.

"He's so strong!" Captain Marvel warned even as Superboy Prime let fly with a powerful haymaker that knocked the captain of thunder and lightening back, sending him flying helplessly to the ground.

"He's still strong, but he's weakening." Superman shouted as his eyes tracked Superboy Prime. It seemed that Prime had learned his lessons well when dealing with superior numbers. Prime darted back and forth faster than most of the heroes could follow, picking off the heroes one at a time. There were no casualties so far, which probably meant Prime was aware of his fading strength. "That punch should have knocked Marvel's head off. We have to keep at him."

"Don't worry blue," Guy Gardner called back as his emerald ring conjured forth a series of heat seeking missiles to chase after Prime. "You got nothing to fear there."

--

They say that some people put themselves to sleep by counting sheep. The Batman however has a very different method of doing it.

He counts all the weaknesses that a Kryptonian empowered by yellow sunlight has.

As the Batman flew overhead in his plane, his mind went through any that Superboy Prime still had.

Red sunlight was their best weapon, but even if they could drain Prime of every last bit of solar energy his cells had absorbed, Batman knew that Prime would never let himself be taken alive. Kryptonite was ineffective as well; apparently the kryptonite of this universe was too different molecularly from the Krypton of Prime's universe to have the same effect that it had on Superman.

That just left one way in. One chink in Prime's armor that could possibly be exploited.

Batman had reviewed the footage over a dozen times, making sure that there was no other possible explanation. Alfred had walked in on him, eyeing the footage himself before raising an eyebrow and suggesting to the Dark Knight some more colorful films with exotic titles for the Batman to entertain himself with instead. This of course had caused the Dark Knight to wonder just how Alfred had come to hear of these particular films in the first place.

But that was immaterial. This was about saving lives, and the Batman knew full well that there was only one person now who could help him do that.

--

Laurie stood, paralyzed, afraid, and unsure. From her position atop the tower, she continued to look on helplessly into the crystal wall around her as Clark fought with everything he had against the hoard of heroes. She watched as they kicked and blasted, punched and battered him around, yet still he fought on.

She wanted to help him. More than anything, she wished she had his power. She wanted nothing so badly as to be at his side, fighting till the end. And this was the end. She knew it. For both of them. She felt the world once again collapsing all around her and this time, it seemed even he couldn't hold up over her. The one regret that she found herself confronted with more than any other was that Clark wasn't right here with her, where she wanted him most.

"Laurie Lemmon."

Laurie spun around, startled, at the voice. The sight standing before her caught her heart with its presence. Pure urban myth personified stood at Laurie like a statue, facing her down.

"I need your help."

Laurie couldn't even speak. She could scarcely breathe. As the Batman looked at her, her mind could only think of one thing to do… which is not to say it was necessarily the smart thing to do.

"NO!" Hollering her best imitation of a war cry, she never noticed the tears that began forming at her eyes as she ran straight at the Batman. Having never thrown a fist in her entire life, this one was slow and flew far away as Batman casually dodged it with the greatest of ease. Yet she pressed on with another, and another, until finally her next one landed squarely in Batman's grip, caught with precision and power.

"Please." At any given time, it is believed that Batman could stop at least a quarter of Earth's documented super villains through the sheer power of his presence. Yet his voice was soft with just a hint of what she might have otherwise recognized as compassion. "I need your help."

"No!" Laurie cried even as she wrestled her hand free from Batman's grip as it seemed to relax. Looking back at him, her anger burned past her tears as she stuttered out "You want me to stop him for you, don't you? Well guess what, I won't do it! I won't help you take him away from me."

"If you don't, billions of people will be erased. You can't want that." Batman remained perfectly still, moderating his voice so as to reach her. It didn't take the greatest detective on Earth to see that she was afraid. She stood there, trembling, frightened, like Prime with nothing but her pain and anger to hide behind. She had chosen her side, and no one knew better than the Batman that if he couldn't reach her, then she'd follow Prime all the way through, no matter how low he dragged her down.

"Yes I do." Laurie cried back, only half aware of what she was saying. "I want my father back, I want my life back." She broke down in more tears, no longer able to speak clearly over bile in her stomach, yet she went on. "I want to forget it all. I want to be happy again."

"You can't let the memory of your parents haunt you. Not like this." Batman tried to reach out to her.

"You're one to talk!" At this, Laurie's anger tripled. "You think just because I didn't read comics back home, I don't remember you! Even I know about the Batman and how he started."

At this, the Dark Knight drew aback slightly. It was hard for him to remember that on Earth Prime, virtually every super hero that he knew was nothing more than drawings on a piece of paper. It was a concept that made more than slightly uncomfortable.

"That's right, I know about you." Laurie went on, drawing strength even as her memories reconstructed new images on the crystals all around her. "Your parents were killed and now you dress up like a bat to avenge their deaths." Laurie walked up to the Batman, screaming blindly at him. "Well try to tell me that you wouldn't do anything to have them back if you could!"

At this, the Batman could not respond. He looked around him as the crystal recreated for him that fateful evening where his innocence had been stolen. He continued to fixate on the images that his mind had already revisited countless times in his life before looking down at Laurie. "I suppose that would depend" he began honestly "on whether or not it meant turning my back on everything that they had ever taught me."

At this, Laurie halted. Her only shield taken from her, she stood before the Dark Knight exposed, helpless, and ashamed.

--

"Go away!" Superboy Prime flew straight to the ground, grabbing Wonder Woman by the arm and slamming her with a thunderous crash into the ice beneath them. "You won't stop me."

"Don't be so sure kid." Jon Stewart stated surely as all three Green Lanterns, along with Alan Scott, Booster Gold, Fire, Power Girl, Superman, Lady Quark and Firestorm combined their powers into one staggering attack that blasted Superboy Prime, knocking him helplessly back. "Strength in numbers you know."

"You want strength?" Superboy Prime hissed as he sizzled and smoked. That attack had all but torn away the top of his costume, revealing the shield emblem that he had carved into his very chest. "I'll show you strength."

With that, Superboy Prime clapped his hands together once again, releasing another thunderous shockwave that through the assembled heroes back and off guard. However, where this maneuver had once demolished part of a city, it now only serve to throw the heroes in disarray.

Before Alan Scott could recover, Superboy Prime appeared at his throat, grabbing him and hurling directly into Lady Quark and Firestorm. The Green Lanterns quickly tried to turn on him, but he flew straight at them, knocking all three of them back in a single blur.

--

"He's unbalanced." Batman said calmly as Laurie continued to sniffle and shudder at the images of the battle being displayed on the crystal walls around them. "And his obsession won't end with Earth Prime. Even if you did bring it back and erase everything, it wouldn't change him. Sooner or later, something would set him off again. There'd be no way to stop him on your world, no way to control him."

"No." Laurie insisted desperately as she tried to bring her breathing back under control. "You don't know him like I do. He's not like that."

"He is now." For a moment, Laurie thought she might have heard a trace of sympathy in the Batman's voice. "He long ago crossed a line he will never be able to come back from. Whatever else he might want or do, he will always be this."

Laurie shook her head pitifully even as her eyes remained fixed on the crystal images in front of her, the truth of every one of Batman's words painted clearly across Clark's face even she watched him slam one of the green uniformed heroes with a ring on his hands into a red blur that she assumed to be the Flash. "I love him."

Batman came up behind Laurie, shifting just enough of his frame into her peripheral vision that she turned around to look at him. Placing his hand consolingly on her shoulders he looked her squarely in the eye and asked her "Then help me save him."

--

"And you thought you were tougher than me." Superboy Prime sneered as he held Supergirl beneath the ice and snow, his fist slamming back down into her face. "None of you are stronger than me."

"That's enough kid." Superboy Prime looked up to see Green Arrow holding his famous bow with an arrow already drawn and notched, aimed squarely at him. "Let her go and stand down."

"Or what?" Superboy Prime just laughed. "You'll stop me with that dumb arrow?"

"Exactly." Green Arrow leveled his glance directly at Superboy Prime.

Prime just continued to laugh, abandoning his hold over the battered Supergirl as held out his arms, presenting himself as a clear target. "Go ahead then. Take your best shot. That thing can't hurt me and you know it."

"Never said I was going to use this on you." With that, the Green Arrow turned his aim, leveling it at Superboy Prime's tower. Letting fly, the arrow shot through the air, impacting directly on the side of the tower, echoing only a faint thud upon impact.

"Hahahaha!" Superboy Prime just continued to laugh in amusement. "You thought you were going to knock over my tower with a little arrow."

In response to his question, the arrow's explosive charge detonated. The explosion rang out across the open Antarctic sky as the top half of the tower seemed to collapse, falling helplessly to the ground, kicking up a tidal wave of frozen powder.

"It's a really good arrow." Green Arrow replied with a confident grin.

"Laurie!" Superboy Prime's eyes went wide as he scanned through the uprooted snow, finding no trace of her. Turning about with burning rage in his eyes, he charged directly for Green Arrow, crying out "I'll kill you."

"No." Superman cried out, tackling Superboy Prime from the side, sending the two tumbling off through frozen ground. "You have done more than enough killing for ten worlds."

"And what are you going to do about it?" Superboy Prime shouted back as he stood up, bringing his fists together and knocking Superman high into the air before quickly following after him. "What do you honestly think you could do to me that could possibly compare to what I've already been through?"

"That's not an excuse!" Superman halted himself in the air flying back down and throwing his fist across Superboy Prime's face. The punch thundered and shook the ground beneath them as it threw Superboy Prime back into the air. "There is nothing you have that could excuse everything you've done."

"You hate me don't you?" Superboy Prime exclaimed with glee at the sight of Superman charging at him. Flying further away as Superman chased him, Prime shot out several blasts of heat vision at his pursuer in an attempt to force him back. "I wonder why that is? It can't be because I'm your evil twin from another universe. After all, that kind of thing is old hat for you, isn't it? No, it's because you know that we're not as different as you like to pretend, and seeing me only reminds you of that, doesn't it?"

"Try again son." Superman blocked out Superboy Prime's obvious efforts to taunt and distract him as he ducked, dodged and weaved past Prime's heat vision. Though he was still strong, it was obvious to him that Batman's virus was working. Prime was slowly losing strength, and was unable to absorb additional sunlight to replace it. "I've seen my inner demons. They're ugly, but they're nothing compared to you."

"Are you sure?" Superboy Prime drove straight forward, punching Superman squarely in the gut. "I've seen you walk to Hell and back for complete strangers. I wonder how far you'd go if you had to bring her back."

Superman regained his wind but only in time to see Superboy Prime's fist crash right into his face, knocking him down into the arctic ice.

"Tell me something, and be honest. How far would you go just to save Lois? Or your parents? Do you honestly think if I'd killed her in Metropolis, or flown over to Kansas and snapped their necks, that you'd just suck it up like a big boy and move on with your life, like Ion was preaching earlier?" Superboy Prime flew straight at Superman like a living missile. "You can't begin to understand what I've lost; you've had it so easy your whole life compared to me."

"I know something about loss, son." Superman tried to avert Superboy Prime's approach with heat vision. "But what you've done…"

"DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT LOSS!" Superboy Prime bellowed like thunder as he countered with the full force of his own heat vision.

Superman cried out as the blast hit him squarely in the chest. Superboy Prime ran straight at him and pounded his fists into Superman's face

"You know nothing about loss you self-righteous, sanctimonious hypocrite. You were just a baby when you came to Earth. You never even suspected you were different from everyone else until your powers manifested at seventeen. And if your parents had never bothered to mention that spacecraft they found you in, you'd never even known you were an alien. You pretend to care about Krypton like you lost something, but the truth is, Earth was always your home."

Superman could barely hear himself over the pounding of Prime's fists.

"Watch your life be totally erased by an uncaring universe, watch everyone you know and love be taken away from you and watch as none of it matters to anyone; and then tell me about loss."

"How about me?" Power Girl came crashing into Superboy Prime from behind. "Can I join this exclusive, angsty, self-righteous club of yours?"

"Kara…" Prime was cut off as Power Girl's fist came down upon his face.

"I lost my Krypton, my Earth, my past, and my cousin." Kara ignored the tears pouring down the side of her face as he continued to drive her fists into the battered Superboy Prime before her. "Does that make it ok for me to destroy millions of lives, for me to erase everything I don't like." At this, Kara grabbed Prime by his throat, pulling him to within inches of her face. "Does that make it ok for me to kill you?"

"Let go of me!" Superboy Prime cried out in terror as he broke free of her grip in one last desperate attempt at escape as he flew up.

"What about Conner?" Power Girl chased after him. "You rag on him all the time for being a clone, but the truth is; he had it worse than you. You still have memories of your parents. They raised and taught you, god help them. Conner had none of that."

"He had a life!" Superboy Prime flew up in an arch, doubling back and flying straight at Power Girl. "He had friends and a girlfriend who loved him. He stole what should have been mine."

"He stole nothing." Power Girl crashed headlong into Superboy Prime. As much as the impact smarted, she pressed on; grabbing him and driving on in spite of the resistance he was putting up. Maintaining her hold, she drove him back first into the side of an ice hill jutting up into the air, crashing straight through it. "He made a life for himself. It was his and nobody else's. You could have done the same, but instead you clung to the past, and when ever anyone or anything tried to get you to let go of it, you destroyed them."

The two crashed down into the ground with an impact whose tremors would be felt for miles. Power Girl brought herself back up and slammed her fist into Prime's face. He was losing strength, she wasn't.

"You're a murderer." She punctuated herself with another thunderous punch to his face. "You're a spoiled brat." And another. "You're nobody." She continued to pound into his face until wet blood spattered over her costume. For a long time, she felt nothing but her fists hitting into something solid. Finally, for a second, the good person she was inside looked down at the sight beneath her.

Superboy Prime spat blood past matching swollen eye lids. He barely had the strength to raise his head as his lower lip trembled, swelling before her very eyes.

"Do it." Prime seemed to beg. "Go ahead."

Power Girl felt her fist tense of its own accord. She waited for someone like Superman to stop her, but she would have no such luck. This moment belong to her and her alone. "What a waste Prime." She spat as she stood up, walking away from him. "You could have been the best of us."

"Best?" Prime coughed as he slowly began to drag himself up to his knees. "I'm better than all of you."

He tried to stand, but the ache in his body collapsed him back to his knees. He looked up to see Power Girl casting a disgusted glance at him while all around him, the heroes began to pick themselves up.

"You think you can put me down with a few hits to my face?" Superboy Prime laughed as he pushed himself to his feet, standing on wobbling legs. "It's going to take more than a few bruises to prove you're better than me." Prime expected the heroes to leap back to the attack at any moment. "The universe practically rewrote itself trying to get rid of me and I'm still here. You're going to have to do better than that if you want to finish me."

The heroes said nothing. One by one, they helped their wounded allies to their feet as they formed a circle all around him.

"You think that junk Ion shot me with is going to keep me down?" Superboy Prime laughed as he spat at them all. "I was trapped in the speed force and I got out. The Guardians locked me on Oa and threw away the key and I beat that too, didn't I? And I'll beat this." Superboy Prime spun where he uneasily stood, attempting to look each and every one of them in the eyes as he promised "I'll beat this and when I do, I'll make every one of you beg me for death."

There was no reaction. No movement from any of them.

"You call yourselves heroes?" Superboy Prime looked at them all. A wall of stone faces that refused to flinch or budge no matter what he said. "If you were real heroes, you'd know what to do. You'd know what it'll take to keep me down." He turned back to Power Girl, who like the rest, remained still and unemotional. "Fine." Superboy Prime sighed. "Let me show you how."

Prime ran, not flew, straight at Power Girl, his fist clenched and ready to strike. But it never came close as Power Girl caught the attack in her grip, flipping Superboy Prime into the air and bringing him back down, holding his arm up as she kept his body pinned beneath her right boot.

"Go ahead." Superboy Prime cried out through the ache. "Do it."

"No!" The desperate cry reached out past the assemblage of masks and faces. Superboy Prime felt his heart jump into his lungs as an angel pushed its way past the line of heroes and ran into the center of their circle.

"Laurie."

Wiping her tears away, Laurie looked up at Power Girl, who kept Superboy Prime pinned to the ground beneath him. She had no words to say, nothing to offer as she silently pleaded with the super powered heroine for her mercy.

Power Girl looked into the desperate face of Laurie and then back down at the battered face of Superboy Prime. Making a decision that she would later look back on for the rest of her life, she relented her grip and stepped away.

Laurie tried to nod in thanks but Power Girl never looked back at her. Ignoring it, Laurie ran up to Clark as he slowly tried to lift himself back to his feet. "Clark."

"Laurie." Superboy Prime looked up at her, his eyes filled with shame and regret as he slowly stood uneasily back up. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't fight it… not the whole universe. It was too much for me."

"I know." Laurie walked up to him, placing her hand over his shoulder and bringing her other hand up to his battered cheeks. "It's ok."

"I tried to save them." Superboy Prime insisted desperately as tears began to stream down the side of his face, past his various injuries. "I tried to save you. That's all I ever wanted."

"You did." Laurie insisted softly past her own tears as she continued to stroke his cheek. "Now let me save you."

For a moment, Clark Kent looked at her questioningly. But she buried his question beneath her lips as she pressed up to him, holding him tightly for one last moment. The passion engulfed them both, relaxing on instinct every last one of Superboy Prime's muscles and allowing two very precise fingers the chance to press past his invulnerable skin and hit the nerve ending exactly as planned.

Superboy Prime collapsed within Laurie Lemmon's grip. She fell to her knees, cradling Prime in her arms even as she looked back up at his assailant.

"Thank you." Batman looked down at her, gratitude largely buried beneath his usual cold exterior.

She just sniffed as she asked "I'm never going to see him again, am I?" She paused before continuing "You're going to lock him in some dark dungeon somewhere and throw away the key, aren't you?"

The Batman didn't answer. He didn't have to. Laurie's tears tripled, spiraling out of control as she buried her face in Clark Kent's chest, clutching him tightly to her while all the while the heroes around her felt themselves eerily being transported back to a moment years ago where a monster killed a hero, and the reporter who had first named him held the greatest of them in her arms as he died.

From off to the side, Hal Jordan carried a battered and wounded Ion into the circle, where he watched as the heroes gathered seemed to look down at the sight of Laurie cradling the unconscious Superboy Prime.

"Did we win?" Ion had to ask.

Hal just seemed to pause at the question. "It's getting harder and harder to tell these days."

--

Author's Note: Just one more chapter to go! Hang in there with me people as the final fate of Superboy Prime is revealed in the next chapter.


	10. Wounds Healed

Author's Note: Well folks, here it is. The last chapter of my humble little tale. I cannot express how far this story has come and how much of a life of its own it has taken on.

I also want to take this opprotunity to express my heartfelt thanks to all those who have read and written in to review. Even if you just kept reading, that too has meant a great deal to me and driven me to make this story the most that I could. I'd like to think that I've done that, and I hope if nothing else everyone enjoyed the ride.

Thanks once again to all. Write a review and get a response, and I truely hope you enjoy.

--

_A soft breeze gently blew across the open beach while the soft lapping of the waves could be heard off to the side. The stars shone brightly overhead, completing the picture perfect ensemble as Clark and Laurie continued to walk hand and hand._

_"God, they're so beautiful." Clark looked up in awe, trying to count all the stars at once. "I wish I could see them all. I mean up close."_

_"Keep dreaming Superboy." Laurie joked as she walked alongside him. Having witnessed him already try to actually leap up and fly tonight, she knew letting him dress up in that Superboy costume was a bad idea. Still, she didn't mind too much the way he'd been sneaking quick glances at her legs all night, so she had decided to let the matter pass._

_"Oh come on." Clark looked to his girlfriend for support. He looked back up at all of them with such awe when a sight suddenly caught his eyes. "Laurie, look—up in the sky!"_

_"Look at what…" Laurie asked as she strained up towards the heavens "the stars?"_

_"No…" Clark had to squint to make sure he could see it for himself. "Halley's Comet! Can't you see it?"_

_Now she knew he was going crazy. "Clark, it won't be visible till December."_

_"I see it, I tell you!" He felt as if he could reach up right then and there and grab it in his hands as if to present it to her as a gift. "And it looks close enough..." The ground vanished beneath his feet as his body rose up independent of gravity's hold "to touch."_

_"Clark?!" Laurie swore she was going to pass out at the sight. She watched as Clark continued to rise right and higher into the air. "Clark-- am I crazy or are you..."_

_"Flying!" Clark Kent could scarcely believe his own proclamation as looked down at the ground and Laurie as they both seemed to shrink beneath. "Great Scott-- I'm flying."_

--

Within the main room of the Justice League's new bunker, the monitors before them showed Superboy Prime slumbering, peacefully thanks heavens, strapped with heavy metal restraints capable of holding Solomon Grundy to a table with several red sun lamps shinning brightly overhead.

"He looks like a fast food burger roasting under one of those heat lamps." Plastic Man remarked.

"He's still upset McDonalds cancelled his sponsorship deal?" Green Arrow asked of his fellow Leaguers.

"Won't let it go." Ion sighed.

"It's the principle of it, damn it." Plastic Man insisted. "If they don't include a morality clause in the contract, I shouldn't be obligated to follow one."

"We're getting off track." Wonder Woman walked ahead of her colleagues and friends, eyeing the screens before turning back to her teammates. "What do we do with her?"

Wonder Woman indicated to a separate set of monitors, where the images of Laurie Lemmon sniffling and shivering came in painfully clear as she sat at a cold metal table, her hands clutching at her arms.

"She's so frightened." The Amazonian princess sympathized.

"But not of us." Batman declared formally.

There was an uncomfortable silence before Green Arrow finally asked the question on the minds of over half the heroes in the room. "So, is she a prisoner now?"

"No way!" Flash insisted. Then, turning back towards Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, he had to know "Is-is she?"

"She did help us stop him." Hal Jordan reminded.

"Poor kid's been through a lot." Green Arrow remarked.

"Yeah, but she's still got a lousy choice in boyfriends." Guy Gardner, somewhat put off by the direction the conversation had taken, took this opportunity to steer it back as he pointed to the monitors showing Superboy Prime. "If we're taking votes on what to do with him, locking him up and throwing away the keys sounds good." Guy Gardner remarked.

"It just seems so cruel sending him back to Oa." Wonder Woman remarked, drawing a few repressed looks of astonishment from her teammates. For all she had been through, especially this past year, hers was a compassion that rivaled even Superman's. "And unnecessary now."

"I'm ok with it." Guy remarked as he looked at the monitors once again intently.

"We could just lock him up with the all the other crooks and loonies out there." Green Arrow suggested frankly. "Belle Reeves or any number of other places would be more than capable of holding him now."

"No." Batman interjected. "It's too dangerous. The Society will have signed his death warrant after what he's done to them. If we put him in any sort of conventional prison facility, they will tear him apart."

"It's too dangerous putting him in a normal prison environment anyway." Superman added. "Because of where he's from and what he's seen, he knows things about all of us. Things we can't risk him revealing to anyone else."

"I might be able to help with that." All conversation dropped away sharply as all eyes in the room descended upon Zatanna.

"Don't even think of it." Batman warned.

"I'm not talking about changing his personality." Zatanna insisted. "Just a spell to wipe away everything he knows. I've improved my spell; there's no way he'd be able to remember when it was over."

"Forget it." Green Arrow insisted sharply. "This came back to haunt us before and in a big way. There's no chance I'm going through that again."

"Agreed." Batman added with a sharp tone that ended all further discussion on the matter. "We'll find another way."

But even as Batman spoke, the words that had been spoken echoed in Superman's ears as the Man of Steel thought long and hard.

--

"If this is that sense of humor that you've been working on," the Batman remarked sharply as he eyed the Man of Steel "it needs work."

"I'm serious." Superman eyed the Dark Knight squarely. He'd pulled Batman aside for all of five minutes to explain his plan in privacy. As predicted, the Batman had not been convinced.

"So am I." With a voice that would have caused any other hero in the world to back down and drop the subject immediately, Batman pointedly accused "this is reckless, dangerous and stupid, even for you."

"I thought you'd like it." If Superman was trying to make light of the situation, even the Batman couldn't tell.

"And why's that?"

"Because it's another way." Superman emphasized for effect. "Those were the very words you used on Wonder Woman after she murdered Maxwell Lord. There's always another way for people like us."

"This isn't what I had in mind." Batman glared at Superman, indicating that he hated having his words used against him for a change.

"But it's what should have been done." Superman moderated his voice now. He wasn't speaking as a senior member and president of the Justice League and he wasn't speaking as the Man of Steel. He was speaking as the adopted son of a planet that he had come to love and protect. He was speaking like a man; a great man perhaps but a man just the same. "This isn't the Joker or Brainiac or any of our usual foes. This one was one of us. And we left him behind. We left all of them behind when they needed us most."

"Our mistake." Batman relented. "And now you want to fix it by making a reckless decision motivated by your personal feelings."

"I want to fix it by saving two lives."

"You can justify anything." Batman dismissed. "Where does this new road of yours end? Where do we draw the line?"

"It never ends." Superman admitted. "Nothing is ever black and white, especially not for people like us. We do what we can to save the lives we can. And we do it because we believe in something; something more than just locking up the criminals so that they can escape and we can do it all over again. As simply as it can be put, we believe in helping people." As he saw Batman remain steadfast, Superman gave that last little push. "You looked his fiancée in the eyes and asked for her help to save him." Superman reminded firmly, turning the tables on him. "Were those just words or did you mean it?"

Batman had to raise an eyebrow at this. Clark was actually serious about this. He didn't know whether to be impressed and terrified.

"Bruce," Superman pleaded in the voice of a friend "I need this. We both do. When Conner died, we promised ourselves that we would learn from our mistakes. That we would never allow another tragedy to occur so long as we could prevent it. Now I'm asking you to help us both keep that promise. I need you to stand by my side, because I know I'm right about this. And I think you do too."

For a long moment, the Batman stared intently at Superman, analyzing, scrutinizing. If there was even a single breath out of place, if his eyes wandered any place else…

"If," Batman began "and I stress 'if' I were to agree to this, I have conditions."

"Fair enough."

"Lots of conditions."

--

"Have you both gone crazy?" Green Arrow asked as Batman and Superman stood next to one another, facing down the entire assembly of heroes with Superman's plan. Even with the two standing in support of this plan, the other heroes had not been as easily swayed as Superman had hoped for.

"Ollie…" Superman began.

"You" Green Arrow pointed to Superman "I can understand. Maybe. But you too…" Green Arrow turned to Batman.

The Dark Knight remained completely impassive to the archer's accusations.

"Not even you two can ask us to condone this on blind faith." Green Arrow insisted.

"Superman," Wonder Woman was the first to admit her own uncertainty "do you realize what you're asking?"

"Yes I do." Superman turned to face the crowd of anxious glares. The last Crisis had come about in part because of his inability to step forward when the world needed him and be the leader it needed him to be. This was his chance to be that leader and he would not shy from it. "And I stand by it. We have a chance to save two lives or let them fall apart. I understand everyone's feelings on this, I truly do. I know a lot of you would rather see him get the punishment we all agree he deserves. But I'm not making this plea on behalf of punishment or even justice. I'm making it for mercy's sake. But it's a big decision," Superman acknowledged with a heavy breath "and I won't be the one to make it for everyone. That's why I want to put it to a vote."

"I hope there's a section on the ballot for 'Hell-No.'" Guy Gardner remarked somewhat weakly in the face of Superman's rousing words. "There's no way the Guardians are ever going to go along with this."

"Really Guy?" Alan Scott asked with a raised eyebrow. "I never realized you lost so much sleep over what they thought. You've certainly stepped back in line ever since getting your ring back."

Guy seemed to softly growl at the remark. "Watch it."

"There's no way." The Flash stepped in coldly. "This is too good for him. That maniac deserves to be shut in coffin, stuck in a slab of concrete and dropped to the bottom of the ocean for what he's done."

"That's not justice." Wonder Woman reminded. "Superman does have a point. We're being asked to choose between a path that will trap him in damnation, or one that might save him."

"It's not that simple! This isn't just mercy." The Flash retorted. "This isn't even a slap on the wrist. It's an acquittal on all charges." Flash calmed himself long enough to turn back to the world's greatest heroes. "I say he goes back to Oa." A general murmur of concurrence seemed to rise up among the crowd gathered as Flash pressed on "Besides, even if we went along with Superman's plan, who's going to watch over him?"

"I will." At this, the Batman drew a hush over the group. The silence did not last.

"Maybe that's not good enough for us this time." Green Arrow retorted. "I'm with Flash. Send him back. He can sit in the middle of a red sun until…"

"I agree with Superman."

The room went silent. If they had been shocked to hear Superman describe his plan, then 'astonished' would scarcely do their reactions justice as Power Girl, who had until now been very quiet and contemplative, suddenly stood up and brought the whole house down.

"You-you do?" Guy Gardner asked in utter disbelief.

"Yes." Power Girl met his glance firmly but briefly before turning to look up at Superman. "I think we should do it."

"Kara," Alan Scott stepped towards her "do you know what you're saying?"

Power Girl took a deep breath. She tried to step outside of herself for only a second and look in at what she was agreeing to. "Yes. I do."

Silence. No one else said a word for several long seconds. Finally, Superman brought the issue back to point. "Let's vote."

--

"Really?" Laurie sniffled, uncertain if she had heard correctly as across the table where she had sat at for the past several hours, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman had explained their plan. "You'd do this… for him. For us? Even after everything...?"

"Yes." Superman nodded compassionately as he looked into her frightened eyes. "We will. But we will need your help again."

"If we do this, you'll be responsible for him." Wonder Woman pulled up a chair next to Laurie.

"Ok." Laurie nodded in acknowledgement.

"If anything happens to him, you have to tell us." Wonder Woman reminded. "If you think he suspects, you have to let us know, or else it'll start all over."

"I will. I promise." Laurie went on hopefully, wiping the tears from the sides of her face.

"He must never suspect a thing."

"He won't." Laurie continued.

"He can't." Batman took this opportunity to step into the conversation. "I'll be checking in on both of you regularly. If either of you try to conceal anything from me…"

"Batman, please." Wonder Woman protested on the young woman's behalf.

"No. I get it." Laurie interjected, her voice faltering somewhat in concession. "You're not really sure it's safe to let him out. I can't say I blame you."

"Miss." Superman rejoined the conversation "We're asking a lot of you. And we need to know if you're up to it. If not, you need to tell us now."

Laurie sniffled for the last time. Rising up, she looked the Man of Steel squarely in the eye. "I won't let anyone down."

"A dermal regenerator will be used to erase his scars." Superman explained. "It will be up to the two of you then," Superman indicated both to her and Batman "to sell him on the rest."

"There's one more thing." Batman interjected, causing everyone in the room to turn to him. Glancing down at Laurie's hand, he indicated "Your ring."

Laurie looked down at the ring Clark had made for her and the other worldly gem glaring brightly in its center. She knew it was a dead give away as anyone looking at it for longer than a second would have to ask where she'd got it. She took a deep gulp, eyeing it one last time and even rubbing a finger longingly over it before reaching over with her spare hand and wrestling it from it's place and handing it over to Batman.

--

With a soft groan, the figure resting in the hospital bed began to stir, the soft beat of his heart monitor the only other sound in the room as bright sunlight shinned through the windows. Opening his eyes, he let out a soft moan, wincing in subtle agony at the pain; Clark Kent Prime took a long look around him. Sitting anxiously at his bedside within his apparently private hospital room, an angel adorned in long brown hair with deep jewel eyes sparkling at him welcomed him back into the world with a deep smile.

"Hey."

"Hey." He smiled. He didn't know who she was, but he smiled. But then, names and faces began to sort themselves out within his mind. All at once, his life's memories returned to him, cutting back to a long walk on a beach on the New England shore after a costume party. "Laurie?"

"Clark." She looked to be seconds away from tears as she rubbed the side of his face longingly. "I was afraid I might never see you again."

"Oooh, what happened to me?" Clark asked as his head shook back and forth atop his pillow, trying to recall. "I feel like I got beat up by a train."

"Yes, I'm afraid a car accident will feel that way." Both Laurie and Clark turned to look up at the white coated doctor as he walked into the room with a clipboard in hand, looking over some charts. Right behind him, a gentleman in a tall, expensive suit with what seemed to be an equally expensive hair cut followed into the room.

"Car accident?" Clark asked, confused.

"You don't remember?" Dr. Morris asked uncertainly.

Clark looked aside for a moment, lost in thought before shaking his head in the negative.

"I'm not surprised." The man in the suit chuckled. "After an impact like that, I suppose I'd be lucky to remember where I left my good suit. Of course, that's why I keep my tailor on speed dial."

"Who are you?" Clark asked finally, more than slightly confused by the man's presence. He was disorientated enough as it was, the last thing Clark needed right now was to be made a spectacle of, particularly when it seemed he was the only one who didn't even know what was going on.

"Bruce Wayne." The man extended his hand out eagerly for a shake which Clark took only reluctantly for courtesy's sake.

"Mr. Wayne," Dr. Morris interjected "has insisted on taking responsibility for your care and your hospital bills."

"Oh." Clark replied simply, having been presented with the answer to at least one question. "Why?"

At this, Mr. Wayne just chuckled once again. "Oh, you're far too modest young man. After what you did for me, it was the least I could do."

Clark Kent just nodded at this as he continued to look up at Mr. Wayne. "Why?"

"Clark, Mr. Wayne says he was almost hit by a truck." Laurie took Clark's hand as she explained "He says you drove straight in the way and took the impact yourself."

"I did?"

"One of the most selfless things I've ever seen." Bruce Wayne insisted with that picture perfect smile of his.

"You don't remember?" Laurie asked intently.

Clark lay back in his bed for a long moment, trying to recall. A jumble of images like those from a bad dream seemed to dance briefly in his mind, but didn't linger long enough for their significance to be revealed. He remembered only flashes of his life of late, glimpses of him and Laurie living in Metropolis. He remembered… a hovel they shared together, the two of them recently visiting Laurie's mother, visiting the cemetery where Laurie's dad and Clark's parents were buried… but no. Nothing more. He didn't even remember owning a car.

"I got nothing." Clark admitted.

"Not surprising." Dr. Morris assured. "You suffered some serious head trauma, particularly to your frontal lobe. The good news is you didn't suffer any permanent brain damage. Your memory should sort itself out in a few days so long as you just take it easy."

"Must be that thick skull of yours." Laurie teased as she brushed a stray stand of hair from his face.

"Yeah, but it's a cute thick skull." Clark joked back to her, smiling. "And don't you forget it."

"Well," Bruce Wayne took a moment to cough loudly enough to be noticed "I suppose that just leaves the matter of repayment."

"Huh?" Clark looked up at the gentleman. "Oh, uhmm, I'm sorry about your car. Uh, I guess I'll have to pay you back or…" But Clark Kent was cut off by Mr. Wayne's charming-as-ever laughter.

"Oh no son. My car's fine, thanks to you. And a good thing too. You know how expensive those Aston Martin's are today."

"Not really." Clark admitted.

"I meant repaying you."

"Oh. Oh, that's ok." Clark assured. The idea of some rich guy tossing a couple of twenties at him as a way of saying 'thank you' was just too much for Clark to suffer at the moment. "It was nothing. I guess."

"You see," Bruce Wayne went on; seemingly oblivious to Clark's protests "it seems that Ms. Lemmon here," he gestured to Laurie "is a very talented writer. And as majority holder over the Gotham Gazette, I happen to need a few. I admit, it's an entry level position, but don't worry, I take excellent care of my employees."

Laurie took her cue. "Clark, Mr. Wayne has offered to pay for our moving expenses and even set us up in a new place."

"I really do insist." Bruce Wayne continued. "It's the least I can do after all."

Clark just cast a wary eye at Mr. Wayne before turning to Laurie. "I… I don't even know what to say. This is all a bit much; just give me a second here." Clark rested back long enough to try and put everything together. It was quite a bit for him to come to terms with. But as he stared into Laurie's hopeful eyes, he knew his decision. "It's fine by me. If you want to do this then…"

"Clark," Laurie looked him squarely in the eye "I'm really not interested in going back to our place. So unless you want to live with my mom."

Clark considered the possibility before shrugging "Well your mom is hot."

At this, Laurie gave him a much needed slap to the side even as Clark just laughed. "I hope that hurt." She prayed angrily.

"Totally worth it." Clark insisted just before wincing at the discomfort.

--

It had taken a few hours while some more tests had been run. Laurie had been at Clark's side for as much of it as she was able. When she had to leave the room, Clark noticed she would leave to talk to Mr. Wayne or Dr. Morris. He'd been relieved when the last of the tests had come back all clear and he'd been told that Laurie could take him home.

"I still don't get why I have to take a wheel chair out of here." Clark insisted as Laurie brought in his clothes. Much as he remembered what his mother taught him about arguing with a doctor, he was longing to get back to his own clothes and out of that miserable hospital gown.

"You were in a car accident." She reminded emphatically as he pulled up his pants. "Besides, I think it's a tradition or something."

"Well it's still dumb." Clark insisted as he pulled up his gown, revealing his bare, taught chest, adorned only by a single bruise around his right ribs. "And really, if you ignore the fact that the room still spins whenever I try to breath I feel fine."

"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Boy of Steel." Laurie smirked as she patted to the chair that she had brought in. "Now get in the chair."

Now, dressed in khaki pants, a blue shirt and with his leather jacket in his lap, Laurie pushed him out in a wheel chair down the hall towards a reception area. "Wait here." She leaned in down towards him. "I've got to go sign you out." She planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "Don't go anywhere."

"Not a chance." He smiled back at her, planting a kiss of his own on her lips before she rose and walked over to the reception's desk.

Sitting in his chair, Clark just seemed to look around before his eyes came upon a blonde woman sitting in a chair to the side of the hall, reading a magazine. He thought he might have caught her glance momentarily, but the moment had definitely passed as she was now thoroughly engrossed in her reading.

"Excuse me?" Clark called out to the woman. She didn't respond at first. "Excuse me."

She finally looked up at him.

"I-I'm sorry." He smiled nervously, suddenly feeling like a complete fool caught in the act. "Do, do I know you?" He glared at her as if seeing her in a different light might jog his memory.

"Kid, you're not my type." She smiled warily at him. "And you'd better be careful about talking to strange women before your girlfriend catches you."

"Oh. Oh no." Clark insisted, blushing furiously. "I'm sorry, I didn't, I didn't mean it that way."

At this, Karen Starr finally took pity on the young man. "Relax kid. You're fine."

"It's just; I got hit on the head lately." Clark Kent rambled on, not really listening to the pitiful words coming out of his mouth. "And I can't remember…do I know you?" He just spit it out. "You look really familiar."

Karen let out a long sigh, looking Clark Kent up and down for a long moment before deciding "No. I don't know you."

"Oh." Clark sat back in the seat, frustrated by his fractured memory. "Sorry."

Karen didn't respond. She just went back to her magazine as Laurie came up from behind, grabbing the back of Clark's chair. "You ok?"

"Yeah." Clark looked up at Laurie, smiling. "Let's go."

Only glancing up once at Karen, Laurie took Clark's chair and guided it down the long white halls and towards the main entrance, its automatic doors parting for them as the two departed from sight.

--

"Doctor, how is she?" Clark Kent asked as he walked eagerly down the hall ways of the hospital, keeping in stride all the way to her room.

"Excellent Mr. Kent." Dr. Bugges insisted, re-reading the charts before him. "Her blood pressure is stable, her vitals are all excellent. I'd like to wait for one more test result to come back but quite frankly, I don't see any reason why she can't go home today."

"Don't give me that!" From the very room that the pair had been walking towards, a woman's voice could be heard shouting. The noise seemed to have little effect on the hospital staff within earshot, who Clark quickly guessed, were well used to it by now.

"Something else I should know, doctor?" Clark Kent turned back to the physician, who seemed to need a moment to collect himself.

"Someone named Perry called for Mrs. Kent about fifteen minutes ago." The doctor confessed. "I'm afraid she's been somewhat…agitated, since then."

Clark Kent just chuckled, smiling widely for the first time in days. Thanking the doctor for all his help, he clutched at the bouquet of flowers in his hand as he opened up the door leading to her room where Mrs. Lois Lane-Kent lay in bed, shouting into her cell phone.

"It's a Lexcorp press conference." Lois insisted as she continued shouting at her mobile device. "I can cover one of those in my sleep, and still grill Luthor enough to make page one." She paused long enough to listen to the response over the phone. "Well if I'm so valuable, why don't you let me do my job?" She barely looked up to acknowledge her husband as she waited to get the next word in edgewise. "You're not putting me on anything. I'll be in tomorrow and that's that." Slamming her phone off, she looked squarely at her husband. "I don't suppose you know anything about this."

"Not a thing." Clark Kent insisted with that down home innocence that had never fooled Lois Lane Kent a day in her life. "The doctors tell me that you need to rest so rest is what you get."

"I have never taken a sick day in my entire life and I am not about to start over a little scratch." Lois crossed her arms squarely, refusing to relent on the subject.

"Lois, it's just a few days off. Think of it as a vacation." Clark Kent swaggered over to her bedside, finally holding out the bouquet to her. "Just a few days of lounging around the house, being pampered to and waited on hand and foot."

Lois let out a reluctant smile as she took the flowers in hand, sniffing at their wonderful fragrance. "Well, I suppose I am overdue for a small vacation. No distractions?"

"None."

"No interruptions?"

"Not a one." He insisted, leaning up to her until he was centimeters from her face.

"Nothing but take out?"

"Anywhere in the world." Clark insisted, drawing a chuckle from his wife.

"Sounds perfect." She agreed, leaning in and planting a desperately needed kiss on her husband's lips.

--

From her vantage point, looking down from one of the windows, Karen watched as Clark followed Laurie inside a cab, as the two drove off.

"I must confess," a Martian voice came from the good Dr. Morris, standing behind Karen. "I was surprised by your vote. And for a Martian telepath, that is quite a feat."

"I was surprised too." Karen admitted.

"If I may ask," J'onn J'onzz decided to broach the subject further "what made you support this plan?"

Karen gave a heavy sigh as her eyes continued to follow Clark and Laurie down the street. "It was easy; I just asked myself what my cousin would have wanted."

The disguised Martian seemed to nod with approval. "Admirable wisdom."

"Well if there's one lesson I've learned J'onn," Karen Starr said with as much assuredness as she had ever possessed in her life "it's that you can't live trapped in the past."


	11. Epilogue

Author's Note: I'm back. I've been away for far too long but I'm back.

And here's a small little extra that should have been posted a long time ago.

--

"You're certain that the League knows nothing of this."

"N-no one does." Sergeant Holland stammered as he held out the small evidence baggie. Within it, a small, single follicle of hair, dark, lay impotently, with the potential to destroy a hundred worlds.

"What about the authorities? I can't have this being traced back to me." The figure crossed his arms in a manner that somehow seemed to expand his authority and power right then and there.

"I bagged this evidence myself." The sergeant insisted, repressing the urge to vent a nervous sweat that was uncomfortably gathering beneath his collar. He continued to hold out the baggie in hand for his perspective buyer to inspect. "Now, a-about the price you offered…"

"First," Lex Luthor held up his hand, quieting the sergeant "you'll permit my people to inspect the sample for viability."

Sergeant Daniel Holland watched as the businessman pressed down on a nearby control pad atop his desk. Within moments, the door to Lex Luthor's office opened as a pair of lab coats walked through the door, wheeling in a cart carrying an array of equipment whose function the sergeant could only guess at.

Lex politely yet expectantly held out his palm at the sergeant who uneasily gave him the small clear bag. The businessman's unflinching gaze barely turned away from the police officer as the bag was then passed to the technicians on hand.

Sergeant Holland kept his arms closely at his side as he felt his anti-perspirant breaking down. He watched nervously as the pair of walking lab coats placed the evidence baggie with the hair follicle inside under a scanner. Looking at a monitor attached to the side of cart, he watched while seemingly nonsensical data was displayed as the follicle was analyzed down to the molecular level.

A small tone from the machine seemed to please the technicians as they reported "The follicular tag is in place. One hundred percent DNA viability Mr. Luthor."

At this, Lex Luthor's stern gaze flexed and wavered slightly, displaying only the slightest bit of satisfaction as his eyes turned back to the Sergeant.

Officer Holland was about to speak up but his mouth flopped shut as Lex Luthor walked back behind his desk and sat down. Retrieving his check book, he quickly scribbled down on the paper in front of him before tearing the check and handing it over to the police officer. "I trust then that this amount will be more than satisfactory. I hope you don't mind but it's just slightly higher than my original offer."

"Whoa." The Sergeant's head swam as his eyes scanned the figure indicated on the check. "Uh, y-yes sir. I mean no sir." He stammered. "This is just fine."

"Good. Then our deal is concluded." Lex sat back in his chair and crossed his fingers, apparently quite pleased.

"Yes sir." The Sergeant looked up just long enough to shoot Lex Luthor one more glance of appreciation before heading out, nearly running straight into Lex Luthor's personal assistant. "Oh, excuse me."

Mercy Graves never shot Daniel Holland a second glance. She simply stood back with all the precision and posture of a soldier, allowing him to walk out. Never turning back, she again moved towards Lex Luthor's desk.

"Is everything taken care of?"

"Yes Lex. By the time his brake line snaps, he should be more than a dozen blocks away." She responded frankly with just a twinge of satisfaction.

"Make sure our people with the county are in position to recover that check." Lex rose up from his chair, walking towards the cart and his technicians and retrieving the bag with the sample in it. "I can't have any evidence to suggest that the late Sergeant Holland was anywhere near a Lexcorp building today."

"Relax Lex." She followed him as he walked over to his eastern wall. Placing his hand to a mounted genetic scanner, the device chimed in accordance with the proper clearance before sliding a section of the wall aside to reveal Lex Luthor's private laboratory. "There's nothing that will ever be traced back to you."

"Good." Lex looked up at the room filled with equipment and more technicians. Off to the side, he noted that the fabrication of the new black costume looked to be already completed. Stepping towards a series of huge tubes large enough for a person to fit in, Lex handed the sample to yet another of his technicians. "Then we're ready to begin step one of Project: Superman Prime."

The End


End file.
